Devil Survivor ALoP
by Noah Gabriel
Summary: Devil Survivor. While Tokyo faced its lockdown, New York City also faces one as demons have appeared there as well. Survival is everything. Characters used are based off of people at the ALoP forums. Enjoy.
1. First Day: Survival Depend On You

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry to those that read this before. I had thought I saved it, but I guess it didn't.**

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**Chapter 1- Survival Depends On You**

**Welcome.**

**Past this point there is no return. Only proceed if you're sure of yourself and your ability to battle the darkness within. Are you ready?**

** Yes or No**

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"Hmm… Which one should I pick?" A girl wearing a black baseball cap over her short reddish hair asked and the boy with short spiky brown hair wearing a plain white T-shirt and black jeans shrugged as he stared at the screen of his COMP.

"When's she done in there?" He muttered while looking back into the café the two were in front of.

* * *

The room was quiet as a long black haired girl stared at the floor while sitting.

"What do I do?" She whispered while a man leaned against the wall behind her silently.

"Listen to your heart and do what you want." he said and the girl nodded with a small smile.

* * *

The train rolled by as two girls sat on a bench in the train station while they both stared at the screen of the COMPs they both carried.

"Yes or no?" The taller one wondered while the younger one thought about which one to pick.

"Oh no, I'm going to be late!" The taller one said before quickly standing up and waving to the smaller girl.

The smaller girl watched the other girl put on roller blades and roll away for her job.

* * *

An orange haired girl stared out of the window in her room as her orange uniform reflected the sunlight filtering into the room.

"It will start soon. They must be ready." She said to herself before turning her back to the window and walking away.

* * *

A guy hit the ground hard as someone's shadow was cast across the down guy. "I don't anything about 'em!" The guy on the ground shouted before getting up and running away as the person that knocked him down stared after him before smashing something under his foot.

The person looked down at what he crushed and his eyes narrowed at the flickering screen of the COMP before it died.

The person raised a hand to his black hair with orange stripes in it and lowered a pair of sunglasses over his eyes.

The person tapped something on his collar and static crackled from it.

"Area clear. Begin." The person said before walking away from the crushed COMP.

* * *

The café's door swung open and the girl and boy looked over to see a blonde girl happily smiling with a bag of goodies in her arms.

"Check out what I got!" She said cheerfully until she saw her two friends' COMPs. "What's up? Were you two messaging each other two feet away?" She asked and the girl showed her the screen.

The blonde girl put down the bag of goodies and fished her COMP out of her pocket and flicked it open to see the same message on its screen.

"You think it's broken?" She asked and the boy huffed.

"I told you not to accept gifts from strangers, Taylor." He said and the blonde girl named Taylor pursed her lips slightly.

"But they were free gifts, Chow!" She said as she glared at the boy, and her finger slipped. The three stopped as Taylor had selected 'Yes'. The message vanished from the other two COMPs and the three looked at each other until a loud siren roared.

"What in the world?" The other girl muttered in pain while covering her ears. Taylor moved away from the café's door as several people ran out and away while screaming.

Taylor looked inside the café and barely was able to jump back as a club smashed into the ground where she had been standing. The three friends froze in shock as a large brown wolf wearing armor and standing on two legs glared at them while gripping the large club.

"I TOUKI KOBOLD! YOU HUMANS FOOD!" It roared while raising its clubs and smashing it down between Taylor and her two friends. "What is that thing?" Taylor shouted and perked up as the beast turned to her while a large red demon dog with a big spiked collar trotted towards Chow with its fangs barred.

The other girl gulped as a small white snowman wearing a blue hat grinned at her.

"FOOD! TASTY FOOD FOR TOUKI GARM!" The dog roared and the little snowman chuckled. "Jack Frost will be eating today!" It said and the girl facing it grimaced nervously.

"Why me? I'm too bony!" She said while Chow glowered at the dog. "You wanna fight, mutt?" He snapped and Taylor gulped as the beast called Kobold raised its club.

"FOOD!" It roared and Taylor clamped her eyes shut until a small sound was heard, and the three monsters froze in place.

* * *

"It's only Day One and you're already in trouble? Maybe I bet on the wrong side." A condescending voice said with a sigh.

Taylor opened her eyes to see the three monsters staring behind them at where a short black haired boy stood with a smile on his face.

"You're the two that us these things!" The girl wearing the cap said while jabbing her finger towards the boy. "Why yes! I'm honored you remember me, Howl Wolfe. Though giving you them might have been a mistake after all." He said and Taylor perked up as the monsters trembled.

The boy looked at the three monsters before sighing again. "Why are you three scared? These demons aren't strong at all. And the Harmonizer should be in effect." He said and Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Harmonizer?"

"Why yes! You see the COMPs I gave you all have the ability to lessen damage from demons. All you have to do is be near one for it to affect you. With that alone, it should be no problem to get rid of these demons." He stated and Taylor looked at her COMP that now showed a red screen with options.

A single message was across the top screen that Taylor stared at silently.

_The demon-summoning program is now activated. _

Taylor looked back and perked up as the boy had disappeared. "Why was…?" The snowman called Jack Frost wondered until the other girl named Howl's foot slammed into his face.

The snowman hit the ground hard and the demon named Garm yelped as Chow slugged it in the face. "Well, that Harmonizer thing sure is useful then!" He said and Kobold growled until the demon yelped before a painful kick right between its legs.

Chow and Howl flinched as the Kobold fell to its knees crying in pain.

Taylor glared down at the demon with its club in her hand. "How dare you…" She started to say before she slammed the Kobold's club into its face.

"Ruin the food I spent all my money on!" Taylor snapped and her two friends sighed before turning back to the demons they had hit.

Chow pulled his fist back with a grin before slamming it between the demon dog's eyes. Howl grinned as she kicked a nearby skateboard into the air and used her feet to slam the skateboard into Jack Frost.

The three demons didn't move at all until suddenly dissolving into a blue glitter and absorbed by the three COMPs.

Taylor looked at the screen of her COMP and a new message flashed across the screen. 

_Contract with _Touki Kobold_ Created._

Taylor looked to her two friends that were reading a similar message on their COMP's screen.

* * *

The street was silent as several bloody bodies littered the ground, torn apart by what appeared to be claws.

People wearing camouflage uniforms and helmets stood behind their shields while staring at the bodies.

"Area 31 cleared and secured." One soldier said and the three letters on his sleeve gleamed in the light. 

_SDF _

The soldiers fixed their barricade and readied themselves. "Remember, nobody or thing no matter what exits this city. This city is now in lockdown mode." The officer said and then sighed.

"I can't believe we were sent out here as well. I wonder how Tokyo is doing with its lockdown?" The officer muttered before putting binoculars to his eyes to scan the street.

"Let's clear this toxic gas quickly and return to help Tokyo with the gas there." He said before lowering his binoculars back down.

* * *

Watching the SDF from above, the black haired boy chuckled in amusement.

"Oh, what a funny lot they are." He said with a smile as in New York City, chaos began to arise.

* * *

**I'm really sorry for the earlier problem to those that read this earlier...**


	2. First Day: Lockdown

**Chapter 2- First Day: Lockdown**

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"Okay, calm down."

"We are calm, Howl." Chow said as Howl paced back and forth while Taylor and Chow sat in chairs out front of the café.

"Those things were demons, and they entered our COMPs?" She asked and Taylor nodded.

"Seems that way." She said and Chow quietly looked into the empty café. "Where'd that wolf demon come from? There's no hole or anything in the café." He stated and Howl crossed her arms over her chest with a huff.

"Well, it definitely came from inside!" She said bitterly before Taylor stood up and headed into the café.

Chow and Howl glanced at each other before heading in after Taylor.

* * *

Taylor looked around the café as Chow and Howl reached her. Taylor stopped in front of an overturned table.

She looked around the table and perked up as something was poking out from underneath the table. Chow grunted as he moved the table over and the three looked down to see a crushed COMP with a crackling screen.

"A COMP? Do you think that demon came from out of it?" Howl asked while looking at her COMP and Taylor shrugged before picking up the broken COMP and some small pieces fell off it.

Taylor looked at the screen to see flashes of a red screen identical to the red screen on theirs. The COMP crackled and Taylor jolted before dropping the COMP back onto the floor and its screen went black.

* * *

The three exited the café silently and perked up as they heard barking coming closer. "Hey look!" Howl said as she pointed down the street to a large dog that was bounding towards me.

"Save me!" It shouted and the three froze up.

"It… talked?" Taylor asked and Chow cracked his knuckles.

"A demon?" He asked while Howl took a few steps back as the dog neared.

"Oh please! Save me!" It shouted before something suddenly fell onto it and the dog exploded.

Taylor and Chow raised their arms to protect their face as smoke billowed past. They lowered their arms as the smoke cleared to show that the pavement where the dog had been was severely cracked with someone standing in the center of it.

"Hmph. Damn dog running away from me." The person said as his black and orange hair blew in the breeze. The guy looked over at the three and perked up as he saw Howl's COMP.

"Hey, you three." He said and Chow glared back at him. "What?" He snapped back, and the guy eyed Chow for a second before shaking his head.

"Nothing. Forget it. So who are you three?" He asked and Taylor perked up before glancing at Chow and Howl.

"Um, I'm Taylor Belen. That's Howl Wolfe and he's Chow Catarrh. Who are you?" Taylor asked and the guy looked at each of them for a second.

"The name's Shadow Drake. Sick name, huh?" He said with a grin as he put his hands in his pockets.

* * *

Chow grinned slightly while lowering his fists. "Not bad anyway. What was that dog?" Chow asked and Shadow looked at them silently again.

"A robot." Shadow said and Chow gritted his teeth angrily. "Don't screw with me! Robots?! What kind of idiot do you take me for?" He snapped and Shadow looked at him calmly.

"Then the answer you three want is a demon, right?" He asked and the three went quiet as Shadow smirked slightly.

"I was right. You three are demon tamers." He said and Howl raised an eyebrow.

"Demon tamers?" She asked and Shadow chuckled quietly.

"What? You carry COMPs and you don't know what that means? Those are altered COMPs you three have, the type that can summon demons. Anyone carrying them is a demon tamer no matter what." Shadow stated and Taylor nodded before looking down at the large impact spot in the ground beneath Shadow.

"That dog was a demon?" She asked and Shadow grinned. "That's right. The mutt thought he could get away from me. Heh, I sure changed his mind." He said and Howl sighed in relief.

"At least we didn't get hurt by it." She whispered and Chow narrowed his eyes.

"How do you know so much about demons, Drake?" Chow asked and Shadow turned his head to the boy.

"You have a sharp tongue. If you're not careful… it'll get ripped out." Shadow said coldly and Chow gritted his teeth angrily.

Shadow looked around and smirked slightly. "Anyway, I'm outta here. You three don't need my help." He said before turning away from the three and narrowed his eyes walking away.

* * *

"That jerk!" Chow snapped as the three walked down the street with Taylor ahead of the two.

"Really? He seemed pretty cool." Howl said with a smile and Chow grimaced towards the happy girl.

"Hey, Taylor. What do you think?" Chow asked and Taylor didn't respond. "Taylor!" Chow said again and Taylor looked at him with stars in her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Never mind…" Chow muttered before stopping along with Howl and Taylor. They stared ahead of them to see an office worker running away from a large floating mass of heads.

"That's definitely a demon!" Howl said and Chow nodded while balling his hands into fists.

"Let's go!" He said and Taylor perked up as she stared at the office worker and saw the number 6 floating above his head.

Chow pulled his fist back and slammed it into the large demon. The demon moved back slightly and its many eyes turned to Chow.

Chow gritted his teeth as the large demon suddenly rammed into him and sent the boy flying into the ground.

"MORE HUMANS! LEGION FEED ON YOU!" The demon called Legion said and Chow narrowed his eyes before pushing himself back away from Legion.

The office worker had already managed to run off as Chow got to his feet while Howl and Taylor hung back.

"How do we fight something that big?" Howl whined while Taylor pursed her lips.

"It's large, but…" Taylor trailed off as a string of beeps started to sound from their COMPs. The Legion turned into eyes towards the three as their COMPs flipped open and a loud crash was heard.

Taylor's eyes widened as between them and Legion stood the three demons that had disappeared into their COMPs. "Them?!" Chow shouted as Garm barred its fangs at Legion.

"HUMAN MASTER! YOU NO HURT!" Garm growled while Kobold and Jack Frost glowered at Legion as well.

"Um, what's going on?" Howl asked and Jack Frost chuckled. "We made the contract, now we'll fight with you." He said and Howl nodded without understanding any of it.

"Just do what we tell you." Jack Frost said sadly and Howl perked up before nodding.

Legion roared from every mouth on its round mass of heads. Taylor, Howl, and Chow braced themselves while staring at the large demon.

* * *

"Okay. Here's the deal! I use Ice and Healing spells, right? Cause I'm all snow and all. Now as long as you are my Master, you can use my spells as well, get it?" Jack Frost stated and Howl nodded slowly.

"Now point at that demon and say "Bufu"!" Jack Frost said and Howl tried not to laugh. "Bufu?"

"I didn't name it." Jack Frost muttered and then pointed at Legion. "Now, girl!" He said and Howl nodded before pointing her fist at Legion.

"B-Bufu!" She said and the large demon perked up before a spire of ice shot out of the ground and enveloped the demon.

"Whoa! Cool!" Howl said until the ice cracked and the Legion broke out.

"Oh yeah, the ice never lasts long." Jack Frost added and Howl sighed sadly. "Tell me these things beforehand!"

* * *

Legion roared again as Garm hunched down. "HUMAN MASTER! WE RIDE WITH DEVIL SPEED!" Garm growled and Chow looked to the demon dog.

"Devil Speed?" He asked and Garm nodded its snarling head. "WE GO FAST!" Garm growled and Chow nodded before the wind picked up around his feet.

"Then let's rock!" He shouted before disappearing from sight and appearing above Legion. The large demon looked up towards Chow whom had his leg raised.

Garm appeared as well with its tail ready and Chow gritted his teeth towards the demon below.

"Anger Point!" Chow snapped before swinging his leg down while Garm whipped its tail down as well.

Legion smashed into the ground and looked to where a yellow light was coming off of Kobold.

* * *

Kobold growled while gripping its club tightly. "AGGRAVATE!" It shouted before rushing forward and raising its club while Taylor mimicked Kobold with her fist.

"Take this, you stupid head!" Taylor said before she and Kobold swung in unison and smashed Legion further into the ground.

The demon creaked before exploding into nothingness. "That was awesome!" Howl said happily and Jack Frost nodded before dissolving back into Howl's COMP. Garm and Kobold followed suite and the three looked at their COMPs.

"So they only come out when we want?" Taylor asked and Chow shrugged before pocketing his COMP. "Still, that was awesome." He said with a wide grin until their COMPs beeped several times.

Chow grimaced as he took his COMP back out and the three looked at the screens to see the same new email.

* * *

_Subject: Congrats  
Sender: SHAZZAR_

_Congrats on your victory over a Legion. The Legion is a powerful demon for n00bs to handle, but I see that one of them wasn't a match for you. Now if that one weren't alone, this tale would be different. Just a heads up, but demons are usually in groups of three like you. _

_Now that you defeated a demon on your own, the COMPs you have can now access the Cathedral of Shadows. Seeing as you're n00bs at this, just know that the Cathedral is where you can fuse demons together to make them stronger. Who knows? You might find a powerful demon to aid you. _

_Also the option of the Demon Auction is now available. You can use Macca, a currency you obtain from defeating demons, to buy demons for your own use. I hope you use these two options to grow powerful, and perhaps you could actually win this struggle._

_Here's to a delightful game._

_

* * *

_

Chow was trembling in anger as they finished reading the email. "Who's this SHAZZAR?" Howl asked and Taylor shrugged while Chow slammed his COMP shut and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Well, whoever they are they sure are having fun watching us!" He snapped and Taylor nodded before closing her COMP and looking at her two friends.

That's when she saw it.

Chow and Howl both had the number 2 hanging over their head.

"Hey, guys…?" Taylor started to say until her COMP beeped. The three looked at her COMP as she flipped it open to see a very small email.

* * *

_Subject: One More Thing  
Sender: SHAZZAR_

_The group leader is the only that can see the Death Clock. The Death Clock shows how many days left someone has to live up to 7. _

_If it says 0, then you're going to die. If they don't have a number, then they're luckier than you~_

_

* * *

_

"Death Clock?" Howl asked and Taylor grimaced sadly.

"Yeah, I can saw a number hanging over that office worker's head." Taylor said and the other two perked up. "What number was it?" Chow asked and Taylor scratched her cheek trying to remember.

"A 6, I think." Taylor said and Howl smiled widely. "Do we have one?" She asked and Taylor frowned before nodding.

"Yes… We all have a 2 above us." She stated and Chow paused while Howl's mouth hung open.

"A 2?! D-Does that we're going to die in two days?" She asked and Taylor looked at the email again. "According to this… Yes." She said and the three were silent until Chow broke the silence.

"Did that guy Drake have a number?" He asked and Taylor shrugged. "I don't remember. If I knew to look for it, I would have seen it." She said and Chow nodded.

"If we run into him again, we'll see." He said and Taylor nodded with a smile. "Hey, guys?" Howl slowly said and Taylor and Chow looked over to see Howl on her COMP.

"Check this out. There was another email, but it was filed under… Laplace Mail?" Howl said and the two looked over Howl's shoulder to read.

* * *

_Good Afternoon._

_1.) At 16:00 several people will gather around the subway station unable to leave the area. The SDF will be there and announcing the presence of toxic gas. All of New York City shall be in a lockdown._

_2.) A mass blackout will occur at 18:00. Car crashes are expected. A single causality will be witnessed in front of the café called Cinderella. Victim: __Kit Gato_

_3.) Beasts will be roaming Central Park at 19:00. Two deaths will be reported. Victims: Rose Coldhart and Kevin Ryder_

_Have a nice day._

_

* * *

_

The three stared at the mail in shock. "Hold on, what is it?" Chow asked and Taylor looked at her watch.

"It's 3:30pm." She said and Chow nodded. "Why then does this thing have times from later today?" He asked and the two girls were silent, as they didn't know.

"Subway station, huh? There's one about half an hour away from us." Howl said and Taylor nodded.

"Half an hour would get us there at 4pm, which is when this mail says this SDF thing will be announcing poison gas. How about we see if it's true?" Taylor asked and Chow shrugged quietly.

"We have nothing to do anyway. Might as well check it out."

* * *

The three stood in shock outside the subway station as several men wearing camouflage stood in the way while keeping people back.

Some had guns on them and the people swarming stepped back when they saw.

"I'm sorry for the disturbance, but we have found evidence of poison gas in the subway system. We are trying to quarantine the gas before it spreads. For that reason nobody is allowed into the subway." One of the SDF officers said and the people shouted at them to open up for various reasons.

Taylor perked up as someone pushed out of the mob of people and fixed his fedora on his head.

He spotted the three kids and walked over with a frown. "Sorry, kids. Seems the subway is closed." He said and Howl nodded.

"We kinda heard that." She said and the man grinned slightly. Taylor perked up as she stared at the man and then frowned sadly.

"Right, sorry. I keep thinking you're like her." He said and Chow cut in before Taylor could ask something.

"Did they say poison gas? Like toxic stuff?" He asked and the man nodded. "They sure did. I don't buy it though."

"Why not?" Taylor asked while moving Chow out of her way. "Poisonous gas always has a way of escaping. If there were poisonous gas, those SDF people would be wearing gas masks. Plus, if it's just the subway that's affected, then why lockdown the whole city?" He asked and the three jolted.

"The whole city's locked down?!" Howl asked in amazement and the man nodded.

"You didn't notice? These SDF men surrounded the whole city. Not even the airport is running with them there as well. There's no way in or out of here till they're done." The man said while gritting his teeth and the three kids nodded sadly.

"Hey, who is this 'her' you mentioned?" Taylor asked and the man smiled slightly.

"Oh, that. It's nothing. I'm just used to repeating things cause she doesn't listen to me. I told her to stay put, but like always she didn't hear me. If you see a girl wandering around looking completely lost, could you bring her to Lolita Records?" He asked and Chow narrowed his eyes.

"Lolita Records? That's a music company, right? Why would you want us to bring her there?" He asked and the man laughed.

"That's where I work as her manager slash guardian. I had just left for three minutes to see what was happening outside with that loud siren, and when I came back…" The man trailed off with a frown before looking back at Taylor.

"So if you see her, please help me out. She's hard to miss with her sense of fashion. Just look for girl with long jet-black hair wearing a rose-shaped hairpin." He stated and Howl nodded happily.

"Sounds like a great fashion sense to me!" She said cheerfully and the man grimaced.

"Yeah, sure. Anyway, thanks a bunch. Oh, and I'm Kevin Ryder if she asks who sent you. Thanks again." Kevin said before walking off.

* * *

"That mail was totally right!" Howl said and Chow frowned. "But if that's true…" He trailed off as Howl cut in.

"Hey, he said his name was Kevin Ryder, right?" She asked and Taylor nodded.

"Hold on… HEY! He was on the mail!" Howl said in shock and Chow sighed.

"You just pieced it together?" He asked under his breath and Taylor grimaced slightly.

"His Death Clock also said 0…" She whispered but neither of her two friends heard her.

"But wait… If the mail had his name then… HE'S GOING TO DIE?!" Howl shouted and Chow clamped her mouth shut.

"Shut up! Don't go yelling that stuff out loud!" He said while Taylor made sure nobody was staring over at them.

"We can't be sure if the mail is telling the truth or not! If we want to find out, we'll have to find this café called Cinderella and fast!" Chow said and Howl tilted her head slightly in confusion.

"Why fast? Can't we rest?" She asked and Chow gritted his teeth bitterly.

"If the mail is true, then someone will die there! We have to find that place before then! If this mail tells the future for whatever reason, then we should make sure nobody gets hurt!" He said and Taylor nodded.

"Plus, if Kevin was right, then this whole city is locked down… We can't leave, so why shouldn't we just do this to kill some time?" Taylor asked and Howl nodded frantically.

"I'm in! Plus I might get to meet someone with a killer fashion sense!" Howl said and Chow perked up at Howl's comment.

"Speaking about that. The part of the mail that mentioned Kevin Ryder had a name with his. Do you think that's the girl he's looking for? This Rose Coldhart person?" He asked and Taylor shrugged.

"That's later, so that can wait! We should find this café and as soon as possible!" She said and Chow and Howl nodded in agreement before running down the street and away from the mob crowding the entrance to the blocked subway.

* * *

**:D Good? Bad? **


	3. First Day: Cinderella

**Chapter 3- First Day: Cinderella**

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* * *

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Taylor, Howl, and Chow stood out front a booth that had a map of New York City on it.

Howl pursed her lips as she looked at the list of places next to the map. "I don't see Cinderella anywhere," she said while Chow groaned.

"It must be a small business then. Maybe with like one or two stores," he said and Taylor nodded.

"Maybe we should ask around," she said before her two friends nodded in unison.

* * *

"Cinderella? The fairy tale? Oh, a café? Never heard of it."

"Oh, I loved that story growing up. But now it's so old. Who would name a café after it?"

"You young ones are so busy with your fairy tales. Why, when I was a boy…"

The three sat down on a park bench completely exhausted as the sun started to set. "We'd better hurry and find it. The mail said 6 o'clock. It's almost 5:30," Howl said and Chow gritted his teeth bitterly.

"Damn it! Where in the world is it?" He snapped and Taylor watched the people walking by.

"It doesn't seem like we're in a lockdown, does it?" Howl asked and Chow frowned sadly.

"Probably cause the power's still on. The mail mentions a blackout that'll happen soon. If that were to happen, people might panic," he stated and Howl shrugged slightly.

"No power, huh?" She whispered and then looked towards Taylor.

"Hey, Taylor? Do these people have Death Clocks too?" Howl asked and Taylor glanced around before nodding.

"I see mainly 6s. There are some 4s as well," she stated before closing her eyes. Howl sighed sadly while Chow got to his feet and looked around.

"We'd better keep looking. We can't stay sitting around," he said and Taylor nodded before standing up as well.

* * *

Howl groaned as she slumped forward walking very slowly. "Come on, Howl." Chow called back and Howl sighed in exhaustion.

"But we've been walking so much! Can't we take a break?" She asked and Chow glanced at his watch before clenching his teeth tightly.

"Damn it! It's almost 6!" He said and Howl's eyes widened before straightening up.

"Then let's hurry up already!" She snapped back and Taylor giggled quietly at Howl's reaction.

Taylor and Chow watched Howl run past them, and they grinned when Howl turned back and waved to them to hurry up.

"Hey, Chow. There's still 20 minutes left. Did you do that to get her moving?" Taylor asked with a smile and Chow chuckled playfully.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Taylor." He said before the two ran to catch up with Howl.

* * *

"No… more… running…" Taylor panted while she, Howl, and Chow were slumped against a building.

Chow looked at his watch and groaned. "5 more minutes…" He muttered under his breath while Howl whined about being all sweaty.

"Where is this stupid café?" Taylor asked irritated as a door next to where they were panting opened a man walked out with an apron on.

"Excuse me?" Howl piped up, and the man turned to the three. "Oh, sorry. We're closing," he said and Howl smiled slightly.

"Could you at least tell us where the café Cinderella is?" She asked before the man laughed lightly. "You're standing right next to it." He said before opening the door and going inside while the three stared where the man had been silently.

"We were…"

"In front of it…"

"The whole time…"

The three slumped back against the building and Chow glanced at his watch again.

"1 minute left," he said as the street lamps went on in the creeping darkness of night.

The three looked around the darkened area until without warning every light went out at the same time.

Taylor heard a couple dogs barking while a couple voices shouted in the distance. "I can hardly see!" Howl said in surprise while turning her head in every which direction.

"Damn it, how are we supposed to find this Kit Gato person like this?" Chow snapped and Taylor shrugged but then remembered that he probably couldn't see her.

The three kids perked up as they heard a car's motor getting louder.

"Car crashes…" Chow muttered and Howl grimaced. "This is terrible! How are we supposed to save someone if we can't see?" She asked until the three froze from the noise of heavy breathing above.

The three looked up before freezing in place as a pair of ruby red eyes sliced through the darkness looking straight at them.

"Move!" Chow snapped just in time as the thing jumped down onto the ground between them.

Taylor could barely see the outline of a very large beast standing between her and her friends.

Taylor slowly reached for her COMP until her eyes widened at the sight of a 0 hanging in the darkness as clear as day.

"That's it!" She muttered under her breath before shouting to Chow and Howl.

"Behind you! There's someone crossing over!" Taylor shouted and noticed the 0 stop to her voice.

The beast heard as well as its eyes flashed towards the 0.

Chow gritted his teeth as he felt the beast rush past him. "Oh no, you don't! Let's go, Garm! Devil Speed!" Chow shouted as he flipped his COMP open and a flash of red lightning crashed onto the crash and Garm's yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness.

Chow bent his legs before springing forward. He felt the beast next to him as he zoomed past it towards its target. "HUMAN TO YOUR RIGHT!" Garm growled while clawing at the beast.

Chow extended an arm and hooked it around the first thing he felt. He heard a yelp as he skidded onto the grass on the other side of the street.

"Off me!" The beast shouted and Garm went flying next to Chow. Taylor and Howl braced themselves as the beast's outline rose till it looked like the beast was standing on two legs.

"Wendigo smash you all!" The demon shouted as it raised an arm towards Taylor.

"Halt there." A voice from behind Taylor said calmly. Taylor's eyes widened as something whizzed past her head and struck the Wendigo dead on before exploding.

The Wendigo roared with its red eyes blazing around before they mysteriously disappeared.

"He got away, huh?" The voice said and Taylor turned quickly, but saw nobody behind her.

* * *

"Thank you so much for that." The person said after they had found a park lit by moonlight. "No problem. Are you Kit Gato?" Taylor asked and the girl nodded with a smile.

"Yes, but how did you know?" She asked while Taylor grinned nervously.

"Umm… Anyway, glad to see you're fine," she said quickly to change the subject and Kit didn't object to the change.

"Yes, so am I. What was that thing?" She asked and Chow shrugged coolly.

"No idea." He lied and Kit frowned sadly.

"Well, regardless of that. I'm very grateful for your help. I would have died for sure if you weren't around." Kit said happily and Taylor perked up as the 0 floating above Kit's head suddenly warped into a 2.

"It's no problem. Be safe getting home!" Howl said cheerfully and Kit smiled back. "Will do!"

* * *

Taylor, Chow, and Howl sat in the park some more while looking out at the dark city.

"Man, I'm beat. That Devil Speed really takes a lot out of me." Chow said with a tired sigh. Taylor and Howl bobbed their heads in tired agreement.

"But… the mail came true! That demon was going to kill Kit! It might have just looked like a car crash to normal people if we weren't around!" Howl stated frightfully and Chow stared down at his COMP silently.

"If this mail is true. Then we have to head over to Central Park now!" He said urgently and Howl groaned.

"There was more to the mail, right?" She asked and Taylor nodded.

"It said beasts in Central Park with that man Kevin and a Rose Coldhart person dead at 7. We have about half an hour to get there! Let's hurry!"

* * *

"Why are we always running?" Howl asked while sprinting alongside Chow who had his teeth gritted. "How else are we going to get there fast enough?" He asked resentfully and Howl scowled quietly.

"H-How are you doing, Taylor?" She asked to her right to Taylor, but paused in surprise as Taylor wasn't there.

"Hey, you two!" Chow and Howl looked ahead to see Taylor waving back at them from on a bike.

"HEY, THAT'S NOT FAIR!" They shouted after her as she laughed happily.

* * *

Chow and Howl fell to the ground in exhaustion while Taylor leaned the bike up against a nearby tree in Central Park.

"We made it," she said cheerfully before looking behind her to the two exhausted friends.

"You… cheater…" Chow muttered and Taylor stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Not my fault you didn't see the bikes there." She stated and Chow was about to snap back until a scream pierced the air.

The three jerked before turning to see some demons crossing the park towards an outdoors stage.

* * *

"Damn it, demons!" Kevin said through gritted teeth as he held his ground on the stage while a girl was huddled behind him.

Both of them had 0s hanging over their heads. One of the demons rose into the air and landed in front of Kevin with a grin spread across its beak.

"Fresh humans for the taking! Dig in!" The purple bird demon screeched happily and the other demons with it cheered excitedly.

Kevin took a step back and glared at the purple bird demon. "Damn it all… I messed up…" He muttered angrily while the girl huddled behind him trembled.

"Go away…" She muttered while crying and Kevin gritted his teeth tighter.

"You human with the hat. Move aside so I can eat the girl! Girl meat is so tender!" The purple bird demon said and Kevin rolled his hands into fists.

"As if, you talking turkey!" He snapped and the demon huffed back at him.

"Fine. You can be eaten first!" It cried and Kevin braced himself before one of the demons behind the bird went flying into the air before dissolving with a bang.

The purple bird demon turned to see Chow with his fist raised and a glare in his eyes.

"More humans for Fallen Gagyson, eh? Perfect!" The bird demon shouted before raising its clawed hand.

"Kill them!" It shouted before turning back to Kevin. Gagyson raised its hand with a smile before slamming its clawed hand into Kevin's head.

Kevin's eyes widened as Gagyson cawed in shock.

Kevin raised a hand to the small bruise on his cheek while Gagyson looked at its claw in confusion.

* * *

Chow gritted his teeth in pain as he pounded a Kobold in the head. "Charm!" Howl shouted while pointing at Chow and Jack Frost chuckled happily.

Chow glanced at his arm that was devoid of pain and he looked back at Howl in amazement. Howl giggled playfully while making a peace sign along with Jack Frost.

Chow grinned before returning to beating the demons in front of him.

"He's so crazy…" Jack Frost said quietly and Howl nodded in agreement while pointing at a frozen demon.

* * *

"How come you're still alive?" Gagyson cried in shock and the bird twitched before Taylor slammed her fist along with her Kobold's club into the back of the bird demon.

Gagyson hit the stage floor and smashed through it while Kevin quickly got the girl away.

"That's enough outta you, birdie." Taylor said while wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

From the hole in the stage, blue glitter rose up and was absorbed my Taylor's COMP.

* * *

The other demons had run away after Gagyson's defeat and Chow looked out at the park in case more showed up. "Thank you so much for helping us." Kevin said and the girl with him smiled happily as the 0s over their head became 2s.

"You were super cool! That bird monster was so scary, but you showed up and blew it to bits!" She said cheerfully and Taylor smiled calmly.

"It's just a good thing we made it in time." She said and the girl giggled while Kevin sighed sadly.

"You can say that again. I thought I was lucky to find her, but then that turkey showed up. Some luck I have," he said while grimacing and Howl frowned sadly.

"But at least she's safe, right?" Howl asked and Kevin was silent before smiling.

"Yeah, you're right. Oh yeah, I haven't introduced you yet." Kevin said and the girl giggled.

"Silly Kevin!" She said happily and Kevin sighed quietly before the girl continued. "I'm Rose Coldhart! I hope you've heard some of my songs, but if not that's fine too!" She said with a wide smile and Howl nodded with the same smile.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Howl Wolfe! The macho guy over there is Chow." Howl said and Chow didn't respond as he continued to watch the park.

"And I'm Taylor." Taylor said and Rose giggled. "Taylor, Howl, and Chow! Okay, I remembered!" She said joyfully and Kevin smiled somewhat.

"Anyway, we should get going before more of those things show up." Kevin said and Howl pursed her lips lightly.

"Good point. We should find some shelter too. I don't want to go walking again for a while!" Howl said and Rose giggled at Howl's statement.

"Same here!" She said while fixing the small rose hairpin in her black hair.

"Why don't you three come with us? There should be enough spare in Lolita Records for all of us to stay the night. Plus, I have some food there in case you're hungry." Kevin stated and Howl cheered happily.

"Yay! Food! You bet your food we'll come, right, Taylor?" She asked and Taylor nodded while Chow chuckled quietly.

The five of them headed out the park and after a while reached the Records building before calling it a day.

* * *

**Subject: OMG!  
Sender: WOOF-WOOF**

Like I was so amazed when those demons appeared and were all like trying to eat us!

Oh yeah, I saw your name under my COMP's email thingy! If you hadn't guessed, it's me, Howl! (oxo)

Those demons were cool when we were going bam-bam-bam on that giant floating head thingy! We kicked that thing's butt if it had one! (b^.')b

I wonder if this blackout will last much longer. I totally need a shower after this entire running around thing!

Though it was worth it since we met some awesome people! I wonder where I can find that hairpin Rose had.

I should ask her tomorrow morning! (^o^)/

* * *

**Subject: We did well.  
Sender: CHAOS-360**

Hey, Taylor. Chow here. I guess this weird COMP lets us email each other at night. I tried earlier today, but it didn't do anything.

Today was hectic but I'm glad we were able to save some people. I hope we get to keep saving people tomorrow.

These demons are pretty awesome. Today, I felt like I was invincible going at that speed!

It's pretty amazing what these demons can do. But that doesn't mean what they do is right.

By the way, any thought on who is SHAZZAR guy is? I have my guesses, but I could be wrong.

That Shadow guy crossed my mind when I thought about it.

You said you didn't see any Death Clock, but you would have noticed if there was a number hanging over his head, right?

Oh well. I'm going to get some sleep now. Let's look forward to tomorrow without worrying about this stupid number over our heads.

* * *

**Subject: HI~!  
Sender: THORNZ**

You're that Taylor girl that saved me today, right? I looked on my COMP and saw your email there for some reason.

Thanks so much for saving me again! I know I already told you, but I'd feel better knowing you know.

You were so cool when you fought those monsters too! You definitely have a fan with me!

Kevin was so protective while you fought, but I knew you'd save us. Though Kevin was pretty cool too!

I hope I get to see you again soon! I'd hate to say it but I don't think we're getting out of this easily.

I just have this weird feeling something big is going to happen. Make sure to take care of yourself.

* * *

**Subject: Hello.  
Sender: KEVRYD**

Who might this be? I found this thing called a COMP in the park and it had this email. My name's Kevin Ryder.

I don't know why but it seems I know who you are already. Must be my imagination though.

Have you seen any of those weird creatures? They were truly frightening when they had us cornered, but thankfully these three kids showed up and saved us.

Ha, I'm talking to you like I actually know you. I'm sorry to take up your time. Make sure to keep alive, whoever you are.

* * *

**Subject: Thank you so much.  
Sender: KITKAT**

You're Taylor, right? I'm really grateful for you rescuing me. It's really weird though what happened. It was like a dream almost.

I was given this COMP earlier today by someone wearing orange who called herself a Shomonkai Maiden.

Pretty weird people, huh? I decided to keep it though cause I didn't want to make her mad.

I heard that this Shomonkai are a cult from Japan. What could they be doing here in NYC?

I hope they aren't planning anything with these demons around.

Speaking of the Shomonkai, I saw the Shomonkai Maiden talking to this cool-looking dude with black and orange hair.

The Maiden girl sure didn't look happy at what he was saying.

* * *

**Subject: You're still kicking?  
Sender: SHAZZAR**

Congrats on surviving your first day. This must be hard for you, but this is all just a test sent by the Almighty.

Try asking the Shomonkai more tomorrow. They should know a few things that you might want to know.

Though whether or not you go, I don't care. They are usually seen in parks so in case you're interested.

Tokyo must be a real mess right now. But I'd imagine that he would be having fun watching the worms run around.

Anyway, be sure to make a grand show of all of this. After all, you die the day after tomorrow.

Wasn't there a movie called that too? Pretty funny lot you all are.

* * *

**That's the end of the First Day! XD**


	4. Second Day: Shomonkai

**Chapter 4- Second Day: Shomonkai**

**

* * *

**

High above the streets of NYC, a lone figure stood on top of a tall building.

The figure smirked slightly before pushing his golden hair back with a chuckle.

"Time to begin." He said before suddenly disappearing.

* * *

Taylor yawned loudly as she sat up for the mat she and everyone else had slept on.

Taylor looked around while rubbing her eyes and stopped when she noticed someone missing.

"Where's Kevin?" She wondered under her breath and slowly got up to leave the room.

Taylor looked around the Record building until she heard the sound of a door opening. She turned towards the front door and saw Kevin walking in with a frown on his face.

He noticed Taylor and nodded for some reason. "You wake up early too, huh?" He asked and Taylor grinned lightly.

"So where did you go?" Taylor asked and Kevin sighed before grimacing.

"I was checking out the area. Apparently the SDF have this city locked pretty tightly," he stated and Taylor raised an eyebrow.

"SDF?"

"Japan's Self-Defense Force." Kevin informed her and Taylor was even more confused.

"But why would they be here? That makes no sense," she said before crossing her arms over her chest.

Kevin nodded in agreement and adjusted the fedora on his head. "That's what I wanted to know. Why would the SDF be here instead of this country's military? I can think of really one good reason." Kevin said and Taylor put her arms down as he continued.

"The SDF are here because they know more about the big picture than any other country. Well, at least that's my guess." Kevin stated and Taylor pursed her lips to think.

"By the way, that reply you sent me last night…" Kevin started to say and Taylor chuckled happily.

"I guess I should thank you in person, but it appears everyone's been doing that lately," he said and Taylor smiled cheerfully until the noise of groans from people waking up reached them.

* * *

"So what do we do today?" Howl asked while brushing her hair before placing her hat over it.

"Getting out won't be easy, and there's something I want to check out." Taylor said and everyone looked at her. Before anyone could ask her what she wanted to check out, a loud series of beeps came from, Howl, Chow, and Taylor's COMPs.

"Emails?" Chow wondered before opening his COMP and grimacing.

"Not again…" He muttered and both Rose and Kevin looked over Howl's shoulder to read.

* * *

_Goooood MoRninG!  
Heere is twoday's knews._

_1. The Shomonkai will appear in Washington Square Park at 10:00 along with their Maiden._

_2. Riots from the lockdown will explode around New York City at 12:00. The riots will be suppressed by the SDF. No deaths and no injuries reported._

_3. Demon tamers will terrorize people in Central Park at 14:00. A SDF Officer will silence the tamers. There will be 6 deaths total, all of which demon tamers._

_4. A little girl and demon tamer will be attacked and brutally killed by demons in Madison Square Park led by a strange person at 15:00. Victims: Yuki and Tsuki Tsuchiyama_

_5. Demon tamers will attack innocent people by the Hudson at 17:00. Over 20 causalities will be witnessed, most of which demon tamers. Survivors will claim that a young girl is the cause._

_HavE a niCe DaY_

_

* * *

_

"It's here again?" Howl asked and Rose stared in wonder while Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"What is this Laplace Mail thing?" He asked and Howl filled him in on what it was while Taylor and Chow examined the email more.

"The email looks weird, doesn't it?" Taylor asked and Chow nodded.

"Something is definitely weird," he said and Taylor smiled slightly.

"But at least what I wanted to check out is first on the list." Taylor said with a smile as she closed her COMP.

* * *

"The Shomonkai?" Kevin asked as they headed down the street while other people walked by. Taylor nodded and then looked around.

"Kit sent me an email last night mentioning them." Taylor said and Chow sighed with his hands in his pockets.

"It's almost 10 now, so where's Washington State Park?" He asked and Kevin pointed up ahead.

"It's not far from here. About a ten minute walk," he said and Howl cheered happily. "Yay, no running!"

* * *

When they reached the park, Taylor looked around to see several people wearing orange uniforms talking to people that were sitting around with nowhere to go.

"Look alive, Taylor." Chow muttered while nudging her with his elbow.

Taylor looked over to see one of the uniformed people walk towards them.

"Good morning. I trust you are alright?" She asked while removing her hood to let her orange hair flutter in the morning breeze.

"That voice… You're the one that saved us last night against that snowman!" Taylor said while jabbing her finger towards the girl.

The girl smiled lightly with a small nod. "That is correct. Wendigo had been terrorizing several people, so I took it upon myself to stop him. Unfortunately, he got away yet again," she said with a frown and Chow narrowed his eyes at her.

"So who are you?" He asked and the girl looked over to him.

"I am Mima Kariyara, one of the Shomonkai Maidens. It is fate that this lockdown happened. For if it hadn't there'd be no trouble here." Mima said with a wisp of a smile.

"Shomonkai… What is that?" Howl asked and Mima looked towards her.

"We exist for the betterment of humankind. Have you heard of the tower of Babel?" She asked and Taylor rubbed the back of her neck.

"Isn't that the tower that was destroyed by God and we all started speaking different languages?" She asked and Mima nodded with a solemn look on her face.

"Indeed. That ordeal made us unable to communicate until now. But now that mankind has surpassed His ordeal, He grows angry and sends a new one for us to overcome. If we were to fail, we would forever be unable to communicate and He will rule over us." Mima stated and the five stared at her while listening as she continued.

"We the Shomonkai will bring everyone together through the power of the Internet and defeat this ordeal." She stated and Chow chuckled nonchalantly.

"Power of the Internet? What kind of crack religion is this?" He asked and Mima closed her eyes calmly.

"The Internet is the very thing that has helped us overcome our communication errors. That is why He sends a new ordeal." Mima said and Chow grinned before turning away.

"Yeah, whatever. This is a waste of my time. I'm going to go look around while you guys talk." Chow said, and before anyone said anything Chow was off without another word.

Mima sighed sadly before reopening her violet eyes. "Some do not understand that leaps and bounds we've made as humans," she said and Taylor looked back to Mima.

"So how do you plan on defeating this ordeal?" She asked and Mima smiled to Taylor.

"We shall unite our belief and summon His Majesty to help us. Now if you excuse me, I have other duties to do. Feel free to stay and listen to our teachings."

* * *

The group sat in the park while waiting for Chow to come back. "So if this Shomonkai are a cult from Japan, why are they here?" Taylor asked and Howl shrugged quietly.

"Isn't it painfully obvious? They were caught here before they were able to get to Tokyo. Like mice in the maze of life." A narcissist voice stated and Taylor stood up to see someone smiling at them behind them.

"Tokyo must be a real mess by now. I wonder how they are doing?" He wondered with a chuckle before pushing his golden hair back.

_'That wording is…!'_ Taylor thought before narrowing her eyes. "What do you want, weirdo?" She asked and the narcissist chuckled again.

"Looking. I just wanted to see what this city had to offer. Not very promising though," he said with another chuckle before leaving the group.

* * *

Chow returned a few minutes later and he noticed the group by the park pond. "Hey, Chow?" What time is it?" Howl asked and Chow looked at his watch silently before answering.

"1:00." Chow lowered his arm and Howl sighed sadly. "Then the riots said to appear around are probably already done. So next is…" Howl trailed off as she tried to remember.

"Central Park. SDF will suppress demon tamers. 6 demon tamers die." Kevin stated from memory and Taylor clenched her fists.

"Then we'd better go to make sure they don't. Besides, this might be a good chance to learn about the SDF." Taylor stated and Kevin nodded in agreement.

"But then one hour later is a murder of two people. It'd be impossible for us to get to Madison Square Garden that quickly." Chow stated and Kevin was quiet as he thought about it.

"We could always split up. You four can go see the SDF part and I'll take care of the murder." Kevin said and Taylor raised an eyebrow.

"Wait! You can't fight alone!" She stated and Kevin took a dark blue COMP out of his pocket.

"I found this where you had smashed that bird demon into the stage last night. That demon was using it apparently before you came. I'll be fine," he said with a serious look on his face.

"Besides, I don't want Rose to be in danger. She's safer with you three than me," he muttered to Taylor and she sighed sadly.

"Fine, but you better be careful." She said and Kevin smirked slightly.

"No problem." He said before taking off and Rose sighed before next to Howl.

"Stupid Kevin." She muttered and Howl grinned widely. "Let's go, Taylor!" She said and Taylor nodded with a smile before the four headed off.

* * *

**Second Day begins**...


	5. Second Day: SDF

**Chapter 5- Second Day: SDF**

**

* * *

**

Chow stopped on the edge of the park while everyone walked up behind him. "We made it," he said back to the others and Taylor grinned while looking around Central Park.

"Okay then! Where are these demon tamers?" She asked with a grin and Howl pursed her lips.

"There'll be six of them, right?" She asked and Chow nodded. "That's what the mail said," he said while Rose panted quietly. Howl grimaced before slowly pointing past Chow.

"There's six people right over there." Howl stated and the other three looked to see six old men standing around a park bench.

"No way! Those old guys couldn't be it!" Chow said and the old men seemed to hear him before turning their heads towards them.

Taylor flinched as she saw the COMPs each old man was carrying. "Chow…?" Taylor started to say until one of the old men shouted at them.

"Did you younglings call us old? How rude! Today's generation doesn't respect its elders anymore!" He shouted angrily and Chow sighed before glaring at the old man.

"You want to complain about it?" He asked coldly and the old man chuckled.

"You younglings need to respect us! And it's time we started with you!" He shouted before large floating skulls with snakes protruding from the empty eye sockets appeared from their COMPs.

"Oh damn it!" Chow muttered while Taylor took her COMP out.

"Go, Loa! Teach those brats a lesson!" The lead old man shouted and the skulls all rushed towards them.

* * *

Chow gritted his teeth as he dodged one Loa while the others swarmed around them. "Damn, these old guys are a pain." Chow muttered bitterly before pulling his fist back and smashing it into the Loa he had dodged.

The skull hit the ground, but was quickly back up without a scratch. "What the hell!" Chow snapped while Howl tried to keep the Loa still with ice.

"These things are strong!" Howl said weakly and Taylor glanced over at the two before slamming a Loa into the ground from which it rose back up.

"I guess there's no other way… Chow, Howl! Attack the old guys! Take their COMPs away!" Taylor called over to the two and they nodded.

Chow jumped into the air while Howl held a finger up before a small flame appeared at the tip.

"Agi!" She snapped and the flame increased and shot towards one of the Loa. The Loa was hit by the flame bullet and fell to the ground prior to bursting into the blue dust.

"Fire seems to effect them more." Howl muttered and then fired another fireball at a different Loa.

* * *

Chow landed away from the Loa and looked over at the old men. They flinched after seeing Chow rush towards them.

"You brats always mistreat us! Why can't we get our revenge?!" The lead one shouted and Chow didn't respond as he already had punched the old man in the face.

The other old men stopped in their tracks as their leader hit the ground out cold.

Chow glared over at the other old men and they trembled. "Drop those COMPs and run." He said icily and they did so before leaving hurriedly.

The Loa disappeared and Howl helped Chow round up the COMPs. "Those old guys were really mad." Howl said and Taylor nodded as she picked up the last COMP.

"I guess they found the COMPs and decided to use them for revenge. But where would they find these things?" Taylor asked and Chow shrugged slowly.

"Is it okay to come out now?" Rose asked from behind a nearby tree and Howl nodded happily.

"By the way, the mail mentioned an SDF Officer. Well, where is this Officer?" Chow asked and Taylor thought about it before grimacing.

"Maybe we got the wrong group of six?" She wondered and Howl sighed sadly.

"But there was six of them, and we are in the right park at the right time!" She whined and Taylor groaned. "There could have been a different group of six, I mean. We should look around," she said and Chow looked around the park. "Sounds good."

Taylor, Chow, Howl, and Rose looked around the park some more with no luck at all. "Damn it, I guess cause we got involved the Officer didn't show up." Chow stated and Howl whined quietly.

Taylor perked up as she heard shouting that got louder as the source was getting closer. The four turned to see and they froze in shock as the six old men from before were running towards them.

Taylor's eyebrow rose slightly at the 0 now hanging over their heads. The next second, there were a series of bangs, and all six old men fell to the ground while bleeding from the back.

Rose covered her mouth in shock while Howl clamped her eyes shut.

Taylor and Chow braced themselves as the person holding the smoking gun holstered it.

* * *

"Huh? You three?" Shadow asked and Chow gritted his teeth angrily.

"You! You shot them?!" He snapped angrily and Shadow stared back at Chow calmly.

"They were targets. My job is to get rid of targets." Shadow stated and Chow was just even more angered.

"So you work for the SDF then?" He asked bitterly and Shadow paused before grinning slightly.

"Pray tell how you know that," he said and Chow clenched his fists tightly.

Shadow chuckled coolly and then looked at the six dead old men. "Well, I don't really work for the SDF. They work under me." Shadow stated and Taylor looked at Shadow in confusion.

"Under? You mean a lower rank?" She asked and Shadow's grin disappeared.

"If you were thinking something vulgar, then no. I was charged with killing targets to secure the barricaded area." He stated and Howl slowly opened her eyes.

"Targets? What do you mean?" She asked and Shadow sighed quietly.

"I've said too much," he said before a receiver attached to his jacket's collar crackled to life.

"Commander Misaki? Report in." The voice said and Shadow frowned softly.

"Six targets found and neutralized. Area 23 is now secure." He said and the crackling died down as the receiver went quiet.

"Misaki? So you're not Shadow Drake?" Chow asked and Shadow grinned.

"Cat's out of the bag sort of. My name is Shadow Misaki. Anything else is classified." Shadow said and Taylor pursed her lips lightly.

"What are you doing here though? The SDF, I mean. You're the Japanese Self-Defense Force, right? Why are you in NYC?" Taylor asked and Shadow groaned bitterly.

"These worriers over here in the government panicked when we informed them of the existence of demons. They asked the Japanese government for assistance, so they sent some squads over here to subdue the demons here and then return to help enforce the Tokyo barricade. That's why the lockdown here was activated a day before the Tokyo one." Shadow stated before drawing his gun and pointing it at the group.

"And if you tell anyone about this, you will be executed on the spot. No exceptions. Though it seems foolish to waste bullets on people here." Shadow said and Taylor raised an eyebrow.

"May we ask why that is?" She asked and Shadow holstered his gun again.

"That is on a need to know basis," he said and Taylor huffed quietly before looking above Shadow's head and pausing in surprise.

"Your Death Clock is…!" She started to say and Chow perked up as this is what he wanted to know.

Shadow looked at Taylor in confusion as she stared at him weirdly.

"Why don't you have a Death Clock?"

* * *

A little while later, Shadow left the park without another word after Taylor's question.

Chow gritted his teeth angrily before punching a tree. "He didn't have a Death Clock?! But everyone in the lockdown has one, right?" He asked and Howl nodded slowly.

"That is strange then," she whispered and Taylor sighed while grimacing.

"Hey, Taylor?" Rose asked and Taylor looked over at her. "Yeah?"

"Shouldn't we go see if Kevin's okay?" Rose asked and Taylor flinched in surprise.

"I totally forgot!" She said in shock before the four quickly rushed out of the park.

* * *

"What time is it, Chow?" Taylor asked as they ran for Madison Square Park. Chow glanced at his clock while running and gritted his teeth.

"6:30!" He shouted and the four continued to run till they finally reached the park some time later.

"Kevin!" Howl called into the park, and waited before frowning sadly.

"Do you think he's still here?" She asked and Chow shrugged as Rose called for Kevin some more.

"Oh, there you all are." Kevin said calmly while stepping out from around a corner outside the park.

The four turned to see Kevin and they paused as a girl around their age poked her head to stare at them.

"Whoa, Kevin!" Chow said in surprise and Kevin grimaced at Chow.

"This is Yuki, a demon tamer," he said and the four paused before sighing in relief.

"So you did save them then?" Taylor asked and Kevin gritted his teeth slightly. "Not exactly…" He said and Yuki frowned sadly.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Ryder." She muttered and Taylor looked at Yuki before back at Kevin.

"What happened?"

* * *

Yuki didn't stop frowning after Kevin told them what happened.

"So let me get this straight. Yuki here and her sister were saved, but then Yuki's little sister ran off angry about something?" Howl asked and Kevin nodded slightly.

"That's about it. The little girl's named Tsuki." He stated and Yuki nodded while staring at her ground with her short blonde hair clinging to the back of her neck.

"I'm so sorry," she repeated and Kevin smiled softly.

"It's okay. We'll find her," he said and Yuki nodded slowly.

"I should go look for her now." Yuki said and before anyone could say anything else, she took off.

* * *

"So how'd you save those two by yourself, Kevin?" Chow asked and Kevin chuckled with a big grin.

"Simple. I got to the park before the time and found them. Then I simply took them away from here so they wouldn't get attacked." He stated and Taylor laughed.

"Good plan!" She said happily and Kevin smirked before looking over Taylor.

"By the way, did you see what their Death Clock said?" He asked and Taylor smiled slightly.

"Yuki's said 3, so she'll be fine for now hopefully." Taylor said and Kevin sighed in relief.

The five walked down the street before Howl suddenly stopped. The others looked back at her as she frowned nervously.

"Guys… There was more to the mail, right?" She asked and Taylor nodded.

"Yeah, a bunch of demon tamers dead. We're heading over there now." Taylor said calmly and Howl grimaced sadly before pointing down the street.

"No need." She muttered and the other four looked and paused as the Hudson lay before them while people were littered around the place with COMPs slightly out of their hands.

"Well, there are the demon tamers." Chow said quietly as the group looked at the 20 bodies ahead of them.

"_Hmm? Are there more humans to suffer? Lest they fall before the wings of Mishael_." A voice said and Taylor flinched as a human-like figure suddenly appeared on the railing.

The figure had large golden wings spread out from its back and gold talons instead of fingers.

"What is thee order?" Mishael asked and a little girl stood up from behind the railings. She glared at the group coldly while the demon clicked his talons together.

"Kill all demon tamers, Mishael." The girl said icily and Kevin's eyes widened when he saw the girl.

"Yes, Master Tsuki. Thy talons shall turn red with their cursed blood."


	6. Second Day: Mishael

**Chapter 6- Second Day: Mishael  
**

**

* * *

**

Taylor narrowed her eyes before swiftly jumping to the side as Mishael impaled the ground where she had just stood seconds before.

Mishael stared at Taylor with its golden eyes right before the demon disappeared from sight. Chow looked around frantically until Mishael appeared behind him.

Chow turned his head just as Mishael slammed its fist into Chow's head. Chow slammed into the railing and then landed on the ground.

"Damn it…" He muttered while slowly getting back onto his shaky feet.

"Thank god for the Harmonizer…" He grumbled before spitting some blood out of his mouth.

Mishael turned its attention to Howl, and disappeared again. Howl blinked in surprise before Mishael dug its knee into her stomach.

Howl gritted her teeth in pain as she hit the ground. "He's fast…" She whispered weakly as Mishael disappeared again.

Taylor glanced around while the little girl watched silently. Taylor perked up right before dodging Mishael's fist from behind.

Taylor whipped around but froze as Mishael appeared behind her. "Too slow." The bird-human-demon said and slammed Taylor into the ground.

Mishael stared coldly at the three he had effortlessly thrown about. "Damn, he's tough…" Howl said painfully and Chow clenched his teeth angrily.

"How'd that girl summon a demon anyway? She doesn't have a COMP!" He snapped and flinched as Mishael punched him in the head.

Howl was thrown onto the ground harshly and Taylor was slugged in the stomach. The three stayed down as Mishael landed gracefully back on the railing.

"How pitiful." Mishael said and Tsuki huffed bitterly.

"Let's go, Mishael. They're so weak, it's not worth killing them." She said icily and Mishael nodded in agreement before disappearing along with Tsuki.

* * *

Chow staggered back up along with Howl and Taylor. He panted heavily before falling to his knee in pain.

"Damn it…" He muttered while holding a hand over his chest. Howl held onto the railing for support while Rose helped Taylor up.

"That thing was strong. I couldn't even get one hit in." Chow muttered angrily and Taylor nodded.

Kevin helped Kevin to his feet and looked over at the others.

"It might be a good idea to count our blessings and head back," he said and Taylor smiled slightly.

"Good plan…" she whispered weakly.

* * *

Kevin looked out the dark window while putting the first aid kit away. Chow glowered bitterly at the wall as he had bandages covering various cuts on his arms and face.

Howl played with a xylophone silently with Rose watching. Taylor was staring at her COMP's screen quietly before turning to the others.

Kevin sat down in a chair by the wall as they all looked at Taylor. "What's up?" Howl asked and Taylor held up her COMP.

"I want to try something," she said and Chow raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Taylor stood in the center of the room while everyone else stood or sat against the walls. She held her COMP with both hands with her eyes closed. A red circle appeared around Taylor that glowed eerily.

Garm, Kobold, and Jack Frost stood inside the circle while Taylor opened her eyes and stared at the screen.

She pressed a few buttons and everyone along the walls flinched as a green dog standing on two legs wearing armor appeared while holding what seemed to be a mace.

"Genma Jambayan." It said and Taylor paid it no heed as the demon stood with the other demons.

Taylor pressed a few more buttons a large gourd appeared with several blue snakes emerging from the opening.

"We Dragon Toubyou." It said and Taylor glanced at the five demons before looking back at the screen.

"What's she doing?" Chow asked and Howl shrugged. Kevin looked at his COMP's screen and raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps it's this Devil Auction?" He asked and Chow looked over at him. "Taylor's buying demons?" He asked and Kevin shrugged.

"I guess." He said before another demon appeared.

"Pyro Jack at your service." The jack-o'-lantern with a blue cloak and lantern said before chuckling.

Taylor closed her COMP and the six demons disappeared, as did the red circle.

* * *

Taylor smiled to the group as she walked over to them. "I remembered the email we got after defeating that big demon Legion. It said most groups are made of three. So as we only have one demon per person, it'd make sense to get more. Unfortunately, we ran out of Macca before I could get you any, Kevin," she said and Kevin smiled slightly.

"It's okay. I don't mind." He said and Chow looked at his COMP. "So which demons should we use?" He asked and Taylor grinned.

"Howl will get Jack Frost and Pyro Jack. Chow will get Garm and Jambayan. And finally, I will get Kobold and Toubyou." Taylor stated and Howl nodded happily.

"I'm good with that," she said and Chow smirked. "Same here," he said and Taylor put her COMP away.

"Alright then! Let's get some sleep." Taylor said and as everyone went to go to sleep, Taylor frowned sadly while staring at the numbers above Chow, Kevin, and Howl's heads.

The number 1 stayed in Taylor's thoughts even after heading to bed.

* * *

**Subject: w00t!  
Sender: WOOF-WOOF**

We rule! Those old guys today did scare me kind of, but we showed them up! ^O^

What's up with that weird blond guy though?! He ticks me off! And the way he talks to everyone is just plain annoying! XO

I hope we can find Tsuki and get her to stop, but that feels like it'll be really hard. Q_Q

Do you think we really can't escape? I don't want to stay here anymore. I want to go home…

* * *

**Subject: I wonder.  
Sender: CHAOS-360**

I'm sure you noticed it. That blond guy used the same wording as this SHAZZAR guy. I bet it's him.

Those old guys were strange today. They got their hands on a COMP and somehow summoned demons. We should be careful against other demon tamers no matter what age they are.

Well, whatever the reason, we're going to find a way out of this lockdown. I don't care if Shadow says otherwise! And to top it all off, he's here to keep us from leaving! If I get the chance, I'm taking him down first!

* * *

**Subject: What are…  
Sender: THORNZ**

I'm scared. Demons are all so scary. What are we going to do if more people summon them? I don't want to deal with them anymore. Why won't they let us leave?

But I know I'll be safe as long as you and your friends are here. Just be careful and take care of yourself.

* * *

**Subject: Those two.  
Sender: KEVRYD**

Those two sisters were pretty strange. The older one, Yuki I think, didn't even flinch when those demons showed up. Not to mention the little girl seemed pretty upset at the demons as well.

I can't help but think that these demons have been here a lot longer than we think. If so, then how are they still here? Sorry, didn't mean to ask such a hard question. Just focus on staying safe.

* * *

**Subject: Hey there.  
Sender: KITKAT**

How have you been? I haven't seen you around. I've seen more of those beasts around. Do you know anything about them?

Speaking of strange events, I heard something this morning. People are saying that the Hudson is warmer than usual. I haven't checked yet, but it's weird to hear about. Make sure you don't get hurt out there.

* * *

**Subject: Thank You.  
Sender: SNOWGIRL**

This is Yuki. I found your email on my COMP so I decided to email you, Taylor.

I hope Tsuki is okay out there. I don't want her getting hurt cause of my decision to come here to NYC.

This whole thing with her is my entire fault.

* * *

**Subject: You…  
Sender: TAKOSUKI**

You're the Taylor girl, right? This is Tsuki.

I don't know what you plan on doing, but these demons and tamers are ticking me off. I'm going to take care of them all.

If you value your safety, then pray we don't meet again.

* * *

**Subject: You're weird.  
Sender: SDF-666**

Strange things have been happening, but I bet Tokyo is worse than here for one simple reason. There is less of a problem here.

This lockdown is only to trap the stranglers. Be safe while we do our jobs.

If it was up to me, I'd have taken those COMPs away from you when we first met, but I figured as long as you all remain innocent, I see no reason in hunting you.

Just make sure to stay innocent. One wrong thing I hear about you and your gang, and you're my next target.

Survive. That's all I'm asking.

* * *

**Subject: Fate  
Sender: KACHAN**

This is the girl I met in Washington Square Park, correct? I am Mima Kariyara.

I sensed a special aura from you when we met. Fate is blowing a strange wind in your direction.

Can you overcome it and rise to lead us all? An answer is not required now. For now, merely believe in yourself.

If mankind wishes to overcome this ordeal, they will need a savior to bring them down the path of the Almighty One.

I know that you will save us all.

* * *

**Subject: Show Me.  
Sender: SHAZZAR**

Day 2 is over now. I hope you're ready to face your fate tomorrow. Cause regardless, you die tomorrow. No way out of it but one. Though you should know that by now.

Now I wonder about this. Do you think the Shomonkai are useful? They are powerful, possess COMPs, and know far more about demons then you ever could. It's a quite interesting question, no? How could they know so much about demons?

Oh well. It doesn't bother me how as long as it keeps this game flowing perfectly.

There are many ways out of this, but only door open ahead of you. Though the path splits so many times, the end point is the same.

Now get some sleep for tomorrow. After all, that's when you die. I'll be ready then. Show me what you can do tomorrow! Make this game enjoyable!


	7. Third Day: Narcissist Game

**Chapter 6- Third Day: Narcissist Game  
**

**

* * *

**

Taylor yawned as she woke up to the din of a helicopter outside. She slowly got up and headed for the window to see a helicopter fly by.

Taylor perked up at the sound of the others waking up and she walked back into the room. She sat on her chair as Chow and Howl woke up.

"Morning, Taylor!" Howl said cheerfully and Taylor smiled back.

"Hey, Taylor… our Death Clock. It's 0, right?" Chow asked and Taylor paused before nodding.

"Everyone but Rose here has a 0." Taylor stated and Chow gritted his teeth angrily.

"Well, I'm not dying!" he snapped just as their COMPs beeped.

"It's here." Howl muttered sadly before the three flipped their COMPs open.

* * *

_gOOd mOrNNNing! HEre iss twodaays neWs!_

_1. SeverAl peOple will PanIc from tHe locKdOwn and tRY to bReak oUT at 10:00 neAr the Hudson. ThErE wIll be 25 caUsalities In aLl._

_2. At 13:00 thE SDF wilL DRop A trUcK fiLLed With FOod iN CenTRal PaRk. PeoPle WIll panIc fOR ThE foOd aND oVer 10 CausAliTIes ShAll hApPEn aLl reSultIng iN DEATh._

_3. AT 18:00 On THe HuDSOn, Belrav, tHe Bel of Destruction SHalL BE suMmoNed. OVer 500 DEathS wILl bE REpoRted. ViCtImS InCLudE: Taylor Belen, Howl Wolfe, Chow Catarrh, anD Kevin Ryder._

_HAve A NicE LiFE._

_

* * *

_

"What the hell?!" Chow snapped and Howl held her head in her hands.

"It's so hard to read!" she muttered and Chow gritted his teeth angrily.

"That's not important! It says we're going to die by name with 500 deaths as well!" he snapped again and Taylor pursed her lips slightly.

"It also says Kevin's name. But what's Belrav?" she wondered before the door opened and the three turned to see Kevin rubbing the back of his neck. "Would you three keep it down?" he asked and Taylor showed him the Laplace Mail.

"W-What…?" he muttered in shock and Taylor nodded.

"Our thoughts exactly," she said while crossing her arms over her chest.

"But… why doesn't it mention Rose? Does she not today?" Howl asked and Taylor shrugged.

"Her Death Clock is one higher than the rest of us…" she said slowly and Kevin gritted his teeth.

"So she dies tomorrow while we die today… Damn it!" he said and Taylor raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Speaking of Rose… where is she?"

The whole room went silent.

"I thought she was with you, so I came to check." Kevin said and the four stared at each other before bolting out of the front door and outside.

* * *

The group entered the park and sighed as no sign of Rose. "Where could she have gone?" Howl wondered until a cheery voice called to them.

"Hey, guys!" The four turned to see Kit waving at them while riding rollerblades. "Hey, Kit!" Taylor called back before she reached them.

"Good to see we're both in one piece! It was a little rocky there for a second." Kit said and Taylor grinned.

"You can say that again!" Taylor said and Kit paused for a second. "Hey, did you check the Hudson yet?" she asked and Chow looked over at her.

"We were at the Hudson yesterday." He stated and Kit's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Did you check today?" She asked and the group shook their heads.

Howl suddenly gasped silently as Taylor and Kit chatted and Howl dragged Kevin and Chow back a little ways.

"I just thought of something! The Laplace Mail mentions two events at the Hudson, right?" Howl asked and Kevin nodded slowly.

"25 causalities at 10am and 500 at 6pm. What about them?" Kevin asked and Howl pursed her lips tightly.

"I heard a rumor yesterday that Kit probably heard too about the Hudson being warmer than ever. I was thinking it could be because of one of the events today." Howl stated and then a laugh reached the group.

"Good morning, all." The narcissist said calmly with one eye open towards the group.

"You!" Chow snapped and the narcissist chuckled.

"Yes, me. How are you all doing? Still alive for now, right?" he asked and Taylor narrowed her eyes at him.

"Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" she asked and the narcissist grinned slightly.

"No reason. Now I do believe there's someone missing for your motley crew. How tragic. Is she dead?" He asked and Howl scowled at him.

"Of course not!" she snapped at the narcissist and he merely chuckled.

"I see. Then how about a little game to pass the time?" He asked and Taylor stared at him suspiciously.

"What kind of game?" She asked bitterly and the narcissist smirked slightly.

"A simple one. I have set five COMPs to go berserk around the lockdown area. Find and stop them all. No time limit either. Lucky you, right?" He asked and Chow gritted his teeth angrily.

"Don't toy with us!" He snapped and the narcissist chuckled.

"Fine. Don't play if you don't want to. But just know this: if you don't do anything, people will die. Well, now that we all are on the same page. Have fun," he said before leaving and Chow glared after him angrily.

"That damn…!" he started to shout before stopping.

"Who does he think he is? You can't play with people's lives like that!" Howl said peeved and Taylor nodded.

"I guess we have no choice but to find though COMPs!"

* * *

The group took off while Kit followed on her roller blades. "You don't have to come, Kit." Taylor said and Kit giggled happily.

"I'm okay. I can move faster than you guys. I'll go do a sweep of the west district for the COMPs, okay?" She asked and Taylor nodded with a smile.

"Thanks!" she called after Kit whom swiftly swerved down a different street.

"We'd better find the five fast!" Howl muttered and Chow nodded in agreement.

Kevin was quiet as he glanced around. _'It's past 10 now… the rioters must be subdued.'_ He thought while looking around still.

* * *

"Sir, we found one." A man wearing a black uniform and orange eye mask stated as he heard up a destroyed COMP.

Shadow nodded curtly and kicked a nearby wastebasket. "So these things can be set to just summon demons randomly? How many more will there be?" Shadow muttered to himself while the two people with him scanned the room again.

The transmitter on Shadow's collar crackled to life and a voice spoke from it. "Helicopter arrived to sent in the food." Shadow nodded and signaled to the two people with him that he was leaving.

Shadow turned and quickly left the room while some people hid under desks in other rooms.

* * *

Kevin smashed the COMP under his foot as it lay next to a tree in a small park.

"That's number 3," he stated and Taylor grinned.

"Perfect only two more to go!" She said and Howl cheered happily.

"Hey, Taylor! We've got company coming in!" Chow said and Taylor noticed several forms appear around the park.

Kevin gritted his teeth before glancing down at the COMP. "It was a trap," he muttered quietly as the demons jeered around them.

Chow raised his fists while Howl readied herself.

"Well then, let's bust through this trap." Taylor stated and the four readied themselves against the circle of demons.


	8. Third Day: Demon of Bel

**Chapter 8- Third Day: Demon of Bel  
Author Note: Okay, there was a little mix up with the chapter numbers. D8**

**

* * *

**

The demons surrounding the group all cackled happily as Taylor glanced around at them.

"Humans! Give your blood to Master Belrav!" They shouted and Taylor raised an eyebrow in confusion before the demons lunged.

Taylor pulled her fist back and pummeled one of the demons heading towards her.

"Evil Wave," she said as the demon she hit burst and more came. Taylor looked at the oncoming demons and smirked slightly.

Howl swerved away from a Garm before blasting it with Bufu.

"Wahoo!" Howl said happily as she dodged another demon and hit it with fire.

"You two are awesome!" she said as Jack Frost and Pyro Jack attacked the demons as well. Three demons charged at Howl and she smiled before weaving her hand at them.

"Maragi!" she shouted and a large fireball from Howl's hand hit the three demons. "That's what you get for messing with me!"

Chow dodged a demon and narrowed his eyes before going straight through a tree while a demon slammed into the tree.

"Heh. Phantasma is pretty good." Chow said as he flexed his fists and pounded a Loa that was coming at him.

"Come on, demons! Show me what you got!" he said with a grin before rushing at the demons.

After the rest of demons were destroyed, the four stopped to catch their breath.

"You know… It's a bad sign. I'm getting used to this." Howl stated and Chow nodded slowly in agreement.

"Same here," he muttered while Taylor clapped her hands.

"Okay, we have to find those last two COMPs!" She said and the other three looked at her before they left the park.

* * *

"By the way, did you hear those demons back there? One mentioned Belrav." Taylor said and the group looked at her in surprise.

"Belrav? The same name from the mail?" Kevin asked and Taylor nodded.

"We should focus on finding the two COMPs first." Chow said before looking around the empty street.

"Oh, there's no need to do that!" The group stopped in their tracks as Kit smiled at them from a bench ahead of them.

The four ran over to her and she grinned happily. "What do you mean?" Taylor asked and Kit chuckled cheerfully.

"I heard that demons appeared in a business building near here, but when I got there the SDF were there while there were no demons. I did so some searching and found a crushed COMP in one of the rooms." Kit stated and Howl cheered happily.

"So we only need to find one now!" she said and Kevin sighed in relief.

"That's better than finding two." He muttered while putting a hand on his hat.

"Great job, Kit!" Taylor said and Kit nodded before getting back on her blades.

"Well, I'm going to go look for it! See you later!" she said before rolling off.

"Okay! We're going to find that last COMP!" Howl said confidently and Chow cracked his knuckles with a grin.

"So where should we look now?" He asked and Taylor put her hand to her mouth to think.

"We've been all over the place but…" Taylor snapped her fingers before grinning.

"The Hudson," she said and Kevin thought about it before nodding.

"That would make sense. We haven't been since yesterday. Might as well check, right?" He asked and the group headed down the street.

Behind them, someone smirked with a chuckle while watching them in the shadows.

* * *

The group reached an intersection just as a helicopter flew over them with empty straps hanging off the bottom of it.

The four watched the helicopter disappear and then they looked down the street in the direction they had come from.

"Do you think that was the truck of food it was carrying?" Kevin asked and Taylor shrugged clueless.

"Whatever it was carrying, we should stay away from it." Taylor stated and Chow nodded in accord.

A few hours past and the group stopped by a park to rest. "Damn… it… why… does… the Hudson have to… be so far away?" Chow asked while catching his breath, as the other three were all flopped on the grass of a park they stopped at.

"We've wasted a lot of time. I hope the COMP is there." Howl said and Taylor groaned at the thought of this walking being for nothing.

"Let's hurry up and make sure we didn't waste that time," she said before standing up and the other followed suite.

* * *

"I'm hungry!" Howl whined as they continued walking down the street steadily.

"We'll eat when we get back. It's a good thing the building has a lot of food you don't need to refrigerate." Kevin stated and Howl nodded blissfully at the thought of food.

Chow suddenly stopped as did the rest of the group after the reached the Hudson.

"What in the…?" Kevin started to ask while the four stared at Hudson in utter shock.

It was bubbling. The Hudson was actually boiling as heat bubbles popped continuously on the surface of the water.

"Err… This heat is amazing." Howl said while fanning her self with her hand.

"It's like being in a pot." Chow muttered and Taylor perked up as a pink COMP sat on the railing; it's screen randomly flashing colors.

"That's the fifth one." Taylor said as she raised her fist and swiftly smashed the COMP with Toubyou's Evil Wave.

"Great, but… What's going on with the Hudson?" Howl wondered until clapping was heard getting louder.

"Amazing! It took you only 7 hours and 55 minutes! The snails would have done better than you. I really wished for a better show than this." The narcissist said with a frown.

"How the hell could this possibly be better?!" Howl snapped angrily and the narcissist smiled slightly. The Hudson bubbled furiously and Howl shirked away slowly.

Taylor raised an eyebrow while Chow slowly readied his fist. Kevin adjusted his hat while the group stared at the narcissist.

"How? I'll tell you how," the narcissist said before frowning again.

"Writhe in agony… Scream in misery… and die." He said before being enveloped in a red aura.

* * *

The group froze in shock as a large red circle appeared the area and a roar split the air.

The red aura was blown away and standing there was a giant red three-headed dragon with piercing gold eyes.

"Holy! He was a demon?!" Howl shouted in shock and Taylor gritted her teeth slightly.

"So that's why he didn't have a Death Clock," she muttered under her breath before the dragon's middle head roared.

"Thanks to you for removing the bindings of my summoning, I have come!" The dragon roared and Chow flinched in surprise.

"Hold on! Those COMPs then were keeping you down?!" He shouted and the dragon's heads reared up.

"Give Sherlock a prize! Of course they were! And you gave me a great show as you struggled to find them all!" The dragon roared and the group braced themselves.

"Well, we sure fell for that." Chow muttered and Taylor nodded with a grimace.

"But if he thinks we're dying, he's got another thing coming!" Howl said determined and Taylor stared at the dragon silently before, "Are you SHAZZAR?" Taylor asked and the dragon's three heads looked down at her.

"… What if I was?" The dragon asked and Taylor smirked slightly.

"Then I'm pounding your arrogant mug into the sidewalk!" She said and the dragon smirked darkly.

"Then allow me to give you your reward for freeing me. Now accept your reward. I give you oblivion at the fangs of Belrav!"

Belrav roared before lunging its three heads down towards them.


	9. Third Day: Belrav

**Chapter 9- Third Day: Belrav**

**

* * *

**

The four jumped away as Belrav's three heads smashed into the ground. Howl pointed her hand towards the head nearest her.

"Bu…" she started to say until the head had suddenly slammed into her. Howl's eyes widened before she crashed into a nearby car, sending glass scattering out from the impact.

"Howl!" Chow shouted right before another head slammed him into the ground.

"Scream in pain! Tremble in fear and die!" Belrav's middle head roared before breathing fire down at Kevin and Taylor. The two evaded the flames just as another head opened its mouth and lightning coursed down from it towards them. Kevin quickly stepped in the way of the lightning and swung his arm towards it.

The lightning bounced off his hand and Taylor looked at him in surprise as a demon appeared behind Kevin.

"Good job, Odin." Kevin said and the one-eyed purple-skinned demon nodded silently.

"Cool demon!" Taylor said and Kevin grinned before the two jumped away from more flames.

"Lament in death!" Belrav roared and Taylor glared at the dragon. "Oh, shut up!"

* * *

From on top of a nearby building, someone watched the fight with a smile.

"Oh dear. Not very good, are you? Perhaps I should interfere for but a moment." The person said before pointing a finger towards Taylor.

"Skill Crack." He said calmly and below, Taylor paused as her COMP beeped suddenly.

She glanced at its screen and raised an eyebrow. "Okay…" she whispered in confusion until Belrav roared again. Kevin gritted his teeth as he got whipped in the stomach by Belrav's left head and he hit the railing hard.

Belrav chuckled as he looked at the three down and then towards Taylor who stood with a steady glare at Belrav.

"Have you given up? How pathetic!" It roared before lunging its middle head down at her. Taylor clenched her right hand into a fist and swung it towards Belrav's incoming head.

"Brutal Hit!" Taylor's fist slugged Belrav harshly in the head and the head smashed into the ground. Taylor jumped onto the head and quickly ran down its neck while the other two heads rushed towards her.

"Bufu!"

"Anger Hit!"

Belrav's left head was encased in ice while Chow's foot slammed the right head down.

"Thanks, guys!" Taylor shouted over before jumping into the air above Belrav's lower body.

"This'll teach you to mess with me!" Taylor shouted and Belrav raised its middle head slightly.

"Deathbound!" Taylor shouted and rapidly slammed her fists into Belrav's body. The dragon demon roared before its middle head fell back down onto the pavement.

Taylor landed on the ground and grinned at the demon. "Told you I'd pound you into the sidewalk."

* * *

The four stood away from Belrav as the dragon's eyes slowly opened.

Belrav raised its heads and the four braced themselves. "H-How…? How could a mere human defeat me? You… What manner of being are you?" Belrav asked and Taylor glared up at him.

"Taylor Belen. And don't you forget it!" she snapped and Belrav chuckled weakly.

"I… see… So that's his game…" Belrav said before suddenly bursting into dark flames.

Taylor's eyes widened as the dark flames rushed towards her and billowed into her body.

Chow, Howl, and Kevin were silent as they stared at Taylor in shock and surprise while the numbers floating above their heads warped into a 2.

"T-Taylor?" Howl asked and Taylor turned her head towards the three before falling backwards onto the pavement and blacking out.

* * *

**Subject: Scary!  
Sender: WOOF-WOOF**

That weird guy was actually a demon? Does this mean that other demons can look like normal people? Ah! I'm scaring myself! XO

But I wonder what that demon had against us? I mean we haven't done anything to make him attack us like that! Q_Q

I should go to sleep now before I scare myself more. But… I am glad that nothing bad has happened. Well, except for Rose going missing… AH! What am I saying?! That is bad! We better find her tomorrow! XoX

* * *

**Subject: Demons  
Sender: CHAOS-360**

Demons are pretty unpredictable, huh? Changing into people and fooling us like that. That dragon seemed to be like a big boss though. With all those demons calling it Master and all, I bet we did really well in beating it.

Plus, that takes care of our SHAZZAR problem. Now we just need to get out of this lockdown. I mean, why exactly are we even in a lockdown to begin with? What's so important that they'd lock down an entire city like NYC?

* * *

**Subject: I hope…  
Sender: KEVRYD**

We weren't able to find Rose today. I hope she's okay. I feel so terrible knowing she's out there alone. But if is she was scared, she'd know to come back here of course.

We escaped death today, but why is our Death Clock still so low? Not to mention we have two days less than everyone else. We're really in trouble if there are more of those demons like that Belrav one.

* * *

**Subject: How'd it go?  
Sender: KITKAT**

Did you find that fifth COMP? I hope you did.

Did you feel it today? It got really hot all of a sudden about 6pm. I even thought about jumping into a pond to cool down.

Oh, I should tell you. You know the café Cinderella that you saved me in front of? Yeah, I worked there before the lockdown. If you ever need help come see me, okay?

* * *

**Subject: What is the point?  
Sender: SDF-666**

My squad found a COMP like your gang's. Only it seemed crazy and was spewing demons out at random. What's the point of making it do that?

Something is up, and I have a feeling you have something to do with it. If you get any information about who's giving these COMPs out, tell me.

* * *

**Subject: The Dark Flame  
Sender: KACHAN**

Today, I felt the presence of the Bel known as Belrav disappear. With the death of a Bel I assume that your fate is coming into focus slowly but surely.

Together we will overcome this ordeal and lead the people to a better age. Will you lend us your strength?

* * *

**Subject: Hello.  
Sender: SNOWGIRL**

Have you found any news of Tsuki? I hope she's okay. She can be really hotheaded at points but she's a good kid.

Oh yeah, did you feel that heat wave today? I'm from Hokkaido, so heat like that is intense. I really wish it'd snow soon. That way at least something good will come out of this stupid lockdown.

Speaking of the lockdown, I passed by a barricade and I could have sworn I saw someone with large white wings. But when I looked again it was gone. Weird.

* * *

**Subject: Congratulations  
Sender: SHAZZAR**

Hahahaha! That was perfect! You sure were excellent getting rid of Belrav! Now that you've absorbed one of the Bel, you have entered their war for the Throne of Bel.

How exciting is this? This whole city shall become the stage before Tokyo and all. It is said that God created this world in seven days. Now the sounding of seven bells shall destroy it. Of course, those bells are different for both lockdowns. But it sure makes me wonder how far you'll get.

Now it's time to relax. You don't die until the day after tomorrow again. Why not enjoy the sights of NYC before it all goes up in flames? Oh wait, it can't. After all, you defeated the very dark flame itself. How silly of me.

By the way, there's no need to worry about your missing friend. I'm sure she's safe. Though you probably don't believe me. But just between you and me, how long do you think she'll last once Mishael gets his talons in her?

No matter what happens, this is becoming the best show of all time!


	10. Fourth Day: Choice

**Chapter 10- Fourth Day: Choice**

**

* * *

**

Taylor slowly opened her eyes to the morning sun and sat up to look out of the window. She held her hand up to the sky while looking at the back of her hand. Taylor let out a soft sigh before something suddenly snatched her wrist, wrenching her out of the window with ease. Taylor clenched her teeth from the suddenness as she was hanging over the ground. She turned her head to see a person wearing camouflage with an orange pair of goggles over his eyes standing on the ledge beside Taylor's window.

"What the hell are you doing?" Taylor snapped angrily and the man paused while staring at Taylor from behind his goggles. He slowly let Taylor down next to him on the ledge. Taylor glared at the man until he removed his goggles with a soft sigh.

"I thought you were summoning something." Taylor flinched as she saw that it was Shadow. She eased up a bit before noticing that Shadow was staring down onto the street below. He opened his mouth to say something until Taylor's COMP suddenly beeped loudly. Shadow rubbed his ear in mock hurt while Taylor flipped her COMP open.

* * *

_GOOOOOOOOO OOOOOd m rning!_

_At 1 :00 thE deMons S aLl sWarm FRom M dIsOn SQuAre Gar En. DEm n tAmErs ARe lAter rE Ort d aS The cAus ._

_T E cAfé CinDe eLl WILl Be bU nEd doWn bY rIo s dEMa dIng fR dOm aT 16:00. VIct m: Kit Gat_

_D MOns wiLl APp ar iN WAs InGt n S uAre aRk aNd ATtaCk in oCEnt pEopl At 16:00. Vi tiM: Rose Coldhart_

_H vE nI e De Th!_

_

* * *

_

"Well, ain't that cheery. What the hell is it?" Shadow asked cautiously but Taylor didn't answer as stared at the mail in shock. Shadow stared at her for a second before sighing loudly. "Those COMPs are sure weird…"

"Don't you have one?" Taylor asked and Shadow chuckled before sliding his hands into his jean pockets. The collar of his jacket crackled with static from the transmitter on it, but Shadow ignored it.

"Of course not. Now what is that mail going on about?" he asked and Taylor looked at the mail and gulped nervously.

"The first thing… it's so hard to read…" Taylor muttered and Shadow huffed before taking Taylor's COMP away from her and looking at the mail himself while using his free hand to keep Taylor back. He read it quickly and then handed it back to Taylor who snatched it out of his hand.

"Madison Square Garden, then Café Cinderella at 16:00, and at the same time Washington Square Park. Seeing as demons aren't my thing, I'll head to Cinderella," Shadow said calmly before jumping down from the ledge onto the street. Shadow looked back up at Taylor while placing his orange goggles over his eyes. "Better get started with your tasks."

With that he was gone down the street and Taylor stayed on the ledge until she heard frantic knocking on her door inside. She climbed through the window and went to the door. The moment she unlocked it, the door swung in hitting her hard in the head. Howl and Chow rushed into the room while Taylor cradled her head in pain.

"Did you see the Laplace Mail, Taylor?" Howl asked frightened and Taylor nodded shakingly. Chow angrily punched Taylor's wall, making Taylor glare at him for a split second until the door swung open again hitting Taylor in the head. Kevin looked at the three hurriedly.

"What are you three doing?" he asked before dragging Chow and Howl out of the room while Taylor followed close behind. They rushed out into the street while Kevin scanned the map he had of the area. "Washington Square Park… Where the hell is it?!"

"Calm down, Kevin. It's not 4 o'clock yet," Taylor said, but Kevin didn't calm down as he continued to scan the map. He kept staring at it as he answered Taylor.

"Rose is in danger! I don't care what time it is!" he snapped and Howl grimaced sadly.

"Kit is also in danger!" she said and Taylor smiled softly to Howl.

"Kit will be fine. Shadow said he'd head over there," Taylor said and Chow raised an eyebrow at Taylor in suspicion.

"And how might Shadow know about the Laplace Mail?"

"Details. We should first find out what time the first event will happen at. So far all the mails have been in chronic order, so whatever this swarm of demons is it'll happen before 4 o'clock," Taylor stated and before Chow, Howl, or Kevin could respond, a happy chuckle reached their ears from above.

"Now, do you think it'll be so easy? Humans after all are filled with anger. Such a tough decision you have! I feel bad for you, so I'll give you a little hint. Someone is going to die today. Can you guess who?" a voice asked playfully with a cheerful chuckle at the end. Taylor looked around but didn't see anyone around them. Another chuckle reached their ears after Taylor had looked around. "Come on, guess who. This game's no fun if you don't play along!"

Chow clenched his fists tightly as he glared around him for the source of the voice. Howl looked around worriedly while Taylor looked straight ahead. Kevin scanned the map more as the voice laughed. Taylor gritted her teeth before looking up.

"You think this is a game?!"

"Yes, I do. You all are just fun little pieces moving a board. Now one piece is going to have to die for this game to continue. Hehehe… I hope Big Sister is in the mood to play too! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" With that the voice disappeared and the eerie silence after was broken by Taylor's COMP beeping again. She quickly flipped it open and her eyes widened in shock at the message.

_Get here. NOW. We need help… a LOT OF HELP._

Taylor showed the other three the message and Howl raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who sent it?" she asked curiously as Taylor snapped her COMP shut and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Shadow. Something's happening at Cinderella!" Taylor said before running off. Chow and Howl quickly ran after her while Kevin took off in the opposite direction. Taylor, Chow, and Howl didn't notice he wasn't with them until they reached the street Cinderella was on. There was a towering flame coming from the building the café owned.

"There you are!" Taylor looked up to see Shadow standing on the roof of a building near Cinderella as he stared down at them. "Hurry up and get rid of this thing!"

"What thing?" Howl shouted back up right before a large red foot smashed onto the street down from the three. Taylor, Chow, and Howl slowly stared at the foot and then lifted their heads up to see a towering red giant with six arms staring back at them. The giant placed its front two palms together before a growling noise rose from the giant. The street shattered and broke apart from the giant's very presence as it continued to stare down at the three. Shadow gritted his teeth angrily as he glared at the giant.

"That thing suddenly appeared across the street and everything started falling apart! I don't care if it's a demon or not! Get rid of it!" Shadow snapped and Taylor nodded before glaring up at the giant's face. The giant opened its mouth slowly letting out a low moan.

"By orders of our divine Lord Diagabel, the human with the blood of Bel shall be destroyed by Asura's wrath," Asura said deeply before rising three fists and smashed them down onto the street.


	11. Fourth Day: Three Little Pigs

**Chapter 11- Fourth Day: Three Little Pigs**

**

* * *

**

Elsewhere in New York, Tsuki stood in the middle of the road with several demon carcasses around her. Mishael stood by her with blood dripping from his claws. Tsuki kicked one carcass away and huffed bitterly.

"How weak," she muttered and Mishael nodded in agreement. The two perked up as the sound of clapping reached their ears.

"Congratulations!" Tsuki and Mishael looked around for the source of the voice, but couldn't find where it came from. "You've made it to the Fourth Day, how do you feel?"

"I'll feel better when you show your face," Tsuki said icily and the voice chuckled happily.

"Sassy. But don't you think you're a little too weak to see my face?" the voice wondered and Tsuki clenched her fists tightly.

"Oh? You believe I'm weak?" Mishael asked slightly angered by the comment. The voice chuckled again.

"Duh. Anyway, feel free to prove me wrong with a little side-game. You win, I'll show my face. You lose, and you die. Pretty fair terms, right?" the voice asked and Tsuki flinched as the demon carcasses around her suddenly came to life. Mishael braced himself as the carcasses rose into the air and the voice laughed happily. "Devil's Concerto."

Tsuki and Mishael looked up into the sky as soft piano music started to float down. Tsuki watched as the carcasses rose towards the sky. The owner of the voice watched from a rooftop as he held his hands up. His hands moved as if playing a piano in the air. He grinned widely used one hand to pushed his shades back up over his eyes. When he finished with that, he pounded his hands down, which created a shrill screech, and the demon carcasses dove down at Tsuki.

* * *

Asura swayed violent before it fell backwards onto the ground. Howl grinned as she lifted her hand from the iced road.

"All yours!" she called out and Chow rushed towards the fallen demon with his hand held flat out to his side.

"Anger Point," he said and swung his hand like a sword blade, severing Asura's arm. The demon roared in pain until Taylor's fist drove into its head. Shadow watched in amazement as the giant demon dissolved slowly. Taylor clenched her fist and let out a sigh of relief.

"That was…" Shadow muttered under his breath as the three high-fived each other.

"Shadow! We have to hurry, so take care of things here!" Taylor called over before the three bolted, leaving Shadow with the clean-up duty. Shadow gritted his teeth and sighed sadly. Down the street, the three ran as fast as they could until Taylor's COMP suddenly went off. Howl and Chow jolted as Taylor took her COMP out to read a new message that had been sent.

_There were once three little pigs who set out to seek their fortune. One pig made a house of straw, another pig of stick, and the last and smartest made it out of bricks. One day, a wolf came to the straw house. The pig would not let him in, so he blew the house down and gobbled up the pig. Now there were only two little pigs._

"What the hell?" Chow snapped as Taylor read the message out loud. She shrugged as he response and Howl rubbed her temples slowly.

"What do the "Three Little Pigs" have to do with this?" she wondered.

"Who cares? We have to get to Washington Square Park!" Chow said and Taylor held her hand up to stop him. She held her COMP so the screen faced the other two. Howl and Chow looked at the screen at the saw the name of the sender. _SHAZZAR._

"Not him again! Why is he sending you junk mail now?" Howl asked loudly in despair. Chow glared at the name angrily until Taylor's COMP beeped again. Taylor quickly turned her COMP back to her as she looked at the new message. Taylor and Chow looked over her shoulder to read it too.

_The second pig hadn't heard of the first pig's arrogant behavior to the wolf. The second pig only cared for the smartest of the three pigs. Unfortunately when the wolf came knocking, the second pig became stubborn and wouldn't let the wolf in. The wolf blew the house of sticks down and gobbled the second pig up. Now only one pig remained. The third pig, having witnessed the second pig's demise, fled to the river to escape the wolf._

"Okay, seriously. SHAZZAR is sending you horrible junk mail," Howl said bitterly and Taylor read the message a second time.

"River… There was never any river mentioned in the "Three Little Pigs"," Taylor stated and Chow raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

"So change of plans. We're going to the Hudson," Taylor said and put her COMP away before she bolted down the street with the other two right behind her. They skidded on the pavement as they reached the Hudson. The three looked around before Howl gasped.

"Guys!" she shouted despite them being right next to her. Chow cupped his ears from Howl's shout and bonked her on the head before he looked in the direction Howl pointed in. Taylor looked too just as her COMP beeped again. Her eyes had widened before she took her COMP out with shaky hands. She flipped the screen open to read the third message.

_The last pig didn't scream, didn't beg, or even plea to live. The third pig was indeed no fun at all. The last pig had been foolish to leave her home, and she paid the price. The wolf was content with the fun he had received in the day. But there were many other pigs to eat. So the fun will continue until the wolves are satisfied. Poor pigs. For none witnessed their demise and lived._

Taylor's COMP fell to the ground with a clatter as her hands trembled even more. Howl had fallen to her knees and cried while Chow's fists bled from being clenched too tightly. Taylor looked away from the Hudson and picked her COMP up before placing it back in her pocket.

"Come on, guys… Let's head back," Taylor said quietly while she helped Howl back up to her feet.

"Why…?" Howl murmured between sobs. Chow smashed his fists against the ground and let out a scream of anger. Taylor pulled him to his feet as well and turned the two away from the blood that covered the street behind them. In the middle of the blood lay the three bodies of Tsuki, Kevin, and Rose. All three lifeless.

* * *

Taylor had her arms around Howl's and Chow's shoulders as they trudged down the street slowly. The street was devoid of people as the three slowly headed back towards the recording building they used as a base. On the way there, Taylor pulled the two through a small park for a shortcut. The fountain in the center of the park had been totaled along with the benches around it.

"Oh? You three?" Taylor perked up as she looked over to see Mima sitting among the destroyed benches. Mima jumped to her feet, her orange hood bobbed a little from the movement. Mima walked over to the three with a concerned look on her face. "What happened? You three look awful."

"It's nothing…" Taylor said sadly and pushed Howl and Chow on ahead. Mima glanced to the two as they resumed walking back to the recording building.

"Have you decided?" Mima asked and Taylor looked at Mima slowly.

"I want everything to return to the way it was. If you know a way to do it, then tell me," Taylor said and Mima smiled sweetly.

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Mima whispered under her breath and then slid her hands into the pockets of her Shomonkai uniform. "The Bels are the key to what you want. The one who controls Babel controls the demons."

"The Bels? You mean like that dragon guy from yesterday?"

"That's correct. There are many Bels. By defeating a Bel, you make it submit to you. Once it has done so, you will gain the Bel's power. Once you have gathered more Bels within you, you can try to control Babel. If you do so, you can send all the demons back to their world forever," Mima stated and Taylor nodded slowly.

"That's the only way?" she asked and Mima nodded.

"It is impossible to control every demon with a COMP. You must control the system that controls the demons. Babel is that," Mima said and Taylor looked off in the direction Chow and Howl walked off. Mima smiled and then turned away from Taylor. "I must get back. The choice is yours."

Taylor watched Mima happily skip away out of the park. She looked back in the direction of the recording building and ran to catch up to Howl and Chow. She found them standing out front of the building waiting for her. She ran over to them and smiled softly to their sad faces. Taylor took out the spare key that Kevin had given her. Once the door was unlocked, the three slipped inside before Taylor locked the door back up.


	12. Fourth Day: Three In One

**Chapter 12- Fourth Day: Three-In-One**

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* * *

**

The three walked into the building until the smell of blood reached their noses. The three bolted into the lounge and froze to see Yuki sitting on the couch with Mishael lying on the floor. Yuki looked scared as she looked over to the three. Taylor rushed over while Chow glared down at Mishael. Chow's glare softened slightly when he saw that Mishael's left wing was in shreds, Mishael's right leg was smashed until it was just flesh, and the demon had a large chunk taken out of its chest. Mishael looked weakly up at Chow while its clawless arms twitched in pain.

"T-The demon here… It suddenly appeared in front of me… It took me here before it collapsed. I don't know what to do…" Yuki said frightfully and Taylor looked to Mishael.

"What happened to you?" she asked and Mishael weakly looked to her. The demon opened its mouth to speak, but no words came out. Chow crouched down to the demon and examined the wounds closely.

"Can't blame it for not speaking. Its chest is caved in and the pain probably nullified the response," Chow stated and Howl looked at Chow in surprise.

"How do you know?"

"… My dad had a bird, okay?" Chow snapped back and took out his COMP. Yuki flinched at the sight of the COMP, and Chow held the COMP down at Mishael. "In any case, we need this demon to live so it can tell us what happened."

The COMP's screen glowed and Mishael's body disappeared into the device. Chow turned his COMP back to him and looked at the screen. He snapped his COMP closed and straightened back up.

"I noticed the demons we have heal pretty quickly. If the same applies to that one, we'll have about an hour to wait for it to be able to answer our questions," Chow said surprisingly level-headed. Yuki trembled at the blood on the floor before Howl helped Taylor cover the blood with a rug they found in the sound booth. Taylor went to the kitchen and found things to eat and drink before the four sat down in the lounge.

"U-Um… that demon… he said he came from my sister…" Yuki said shakingly. Taylor and Chow perked up while Howl tried her best not to think about what they had seen at the Hudson. Yuki gulped and slowly tried to stop shaking. "Is my sister dead…?"

Taylor and Chow looked away sadly as their answer and Yuki broke down into tears.

"Our father… he's a political leader in Japan… He came here for a conference before the lockdown happened. We came with him to see what this city was like. We snuck out of the conference building to explore. Then the lockdown happened and we were trapped inside it. Our father probably ordered the SDF here because they're experienced with demons," Yuki stated and Chow raised an eyebrow.

"The SDF is from Japan? But how could they know about demons before the lockdown?" Chow wondered and Yuki looked to him sadly.

"I don't know. I wasn't told such things. All I know is about this incident back in Japan that the SDF covered up. I had overheard our father mention demons and I never gathered up the courage to ask. Maybe if I had, Tsuki and I wouldn't have come and she'd be alive…" Yuki said and then broke down into tears again. Taylor and Chow said nothing as they looked to each other. Yuki sobbed and murmured between sobs, "If only my sister had been so protective… I'm the older one… I shouldn't have to have her protect me so much… But she gets so arrogant about it… she says she has to cause she can… she doesn't have to!"

Taylor flinched and took her COMP out while Howl comforted Yuki. Taylor pulled Chow over the kitchen before she placed her COMP down on the kitchen counter with the three messages open on the screen.

"The first message was straight for a version of the story. But the second one was different. It mentioned an arrogant pig," Taylor stated and Chow nodded before he snapped his fingers.

"The first pig is Tsuki?" he wondered and Taylor shrugged.

"That's what I think. Anyway, it then mentioned how the second pig didn't know of the first pig's behavior. Kevin never really met Tsuki, and he was very protective of Rose," Taylor stated and Chow finished her thought for her.

"And Rose is the third pig that saw Kevin being killed by whatever did this? She ran out of fear, but didn't try to save herself when she was caught," Chow stated and Taylor nodded.

"SHAZZAR was narrating the events that took place. But it said in the last one that there were no witnesses," Taylor said and Chow nodded slowly.

"But Mishael is still alive, so that wasn't true."

"Unless whoever attacked the three thought Mishael was dead," Taylor said. Chow put a hand to his chin to think while Taylor closed her COMP to save its energy.

"So the only witness is a nearly dead demon. But we were told only one person would die today…" Taylor said quietly so Howl and Yuki wouldn't hear. Chow nodded and shrugged his shoulders.

"Three doesn't equal one," he said and Taylor's eyes widened in realization.

"It doesn't, but… One what?" she asked and Chow flinched.

"Uhh… does it matter?" he asked and Taylor gritted her teeth bitterly.

"In any "game" the rules are specific for a reason. So that there are no loopholes. Of course, this isn't a game, but the rules aren't specific. If anything-" Taylor started to say until Chow's COMP went off. Chow quickly opened his COMP to see a message written across the screen.

"You're wrong. The voice that attacked us said that it was lucky that my master did not possess a COMP". Is what it says," Chow said and glanced to Taylor. "It's from Mishael."

"Kevin had a COMP… But Rose didn't!" Taylor said and quickly lowered her voice. Chow closed his COMP and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Three people, one COMP. Tsuki was probably just a side-show, but Rose witnessed Kevin's death, so she had to go. Kevin was the target, but since Tsuki had a demon and no COMP she was dangerous," Chow stated quietly.

"So the attacker got rid of her. But the speed of the messages is strange. They came so fast," Taylor stated and Chow nodded in agreement.

"More than one attacker then," he said and Taylor nodded back to him.

"And SHAZZAR was watching," she said and Chow paused as he clenched his hands tightly.

"What if he did one of the killings?" he asked and Taylor pursed her lips.

"The messages were sent by him. And if Rose did run to the river, how were Kevin's and Tsuki's bodies there too? Their bodies must have been brought there, and it's impossible for one person to do it all alone."

"Except it could have been demons that did the killing and moving the bodies," Chow added and Taylor nodded.

"So SHAZZAR is definitely involved, but might not be the killer or killers. Whatever the case is, we have to be careful," Taylor said and Chow nodded in agreement.

"Till then, let's just waste the rest of the night huddled together," Taylor said with a yawn. Chow watched Taylor put her COMP back into her pocket and she headed back to the lounge. Chow looked to his COMP and narrowed his eyes. He headed to the stairs that led to the second floor.

* * *

**Subject: Hey…**

**Sender: WOOF-WOOF**

Today was awful. I still can't believe what happened to them… I'm scared. I want this lockdown to end. But… at least we saved one person… right?

**Subject: Mishael**

**Sender: CHAOS-360**

Sorry I didn't come back to the lounge. I wanted to talk to Mishael in private. I asked about the attacker, but all I got was "carcass", "Devil's Concerto", and "voice". Sounds like Mishael didn't see the attacker at all.

I feel powerless. I'm going to try even harder to protect anyone I can. But I need power for that. Garm's not strong enough alone. I've decided to make Mishael my demon along with Garm. He's already agreed and submitted, so no whining, okay? I need to be stronger.

**Subject: Where To Go?**

**Sender: KITKAT**

Thank you so much for today. Oh, and I forgot to thank that man with the goggles. Is he your boyfriend? Well, thank him for me.

Where are you right now? I need to go somewhere to hide till this lockdown blows over. I hope you don't mind me coming to you for help with that.

**Subject: Today**

**Sender: SDF-666**

Demons are crazy. That giant today was like nothing I've ever seen. Diagabel. That's what it said, right? I make no promises, but I'll look into it.

Also, my squad was supposed to find and protect a pair of influential people that were caught in the lockdown. I feel I can trust you, so can you help me find them? Their names are Yuki and Tsuki Tanemura. Tell me if you find them.

**Subject: The Bels**

**Sender: KACHAN**

I'm curious. How do you find this lockdown? Sure, it's scary with the demons running around, but there's that thrill of never knowing what will happen. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound happy. In fact, I'm quite saddened by this lockdown.

As for the Bels, I asked around in the Shomonkai for any sightings of them. Apparently, in a parking building, people have been vanishing while witnesses state hearing screeches close to that of a bird's. Exciting, no? Will you check it out?

**Subject: The Story**

**Sender: SHAZZAR**

Isn't this game fun? How did you like my little story? I always did find it arrogant and very human-like. But that's insulting pigs, no? The pigs set out to live, and they each chose a different place to exist in. Much like people and countries. Wouldn't it be better if we all existed under one name, one language? Well, we did in the past before God grew angry at the arrogance of humans.

By the way, I spied a couple of people enter this parking building near the edge of the lockdown zone. They didn't come out. I wonder what happened to them. Ah, but I've used enough of your time today. After all, not all of us have the time to run around the city hoping to be heroes.


	13. Fifth Day: Colliding Resolve

**Chapter 13- Fifth Day: Colliding Resolve**

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* * *

**

Taylor awoke to the sunlight streaming into the lounge as she slept on the couch with Howl's head asleep on her legs. She gently moved Howl's head off her legs and sat up to stretch. Taylor stood from the couch and stepped over Howl to wander into the hallway. Taylor smiled at the sweet serenity until an annoying beep resounded through the building, waking all of its inhabitants. Taylor flipped open her COMP to read the day's Laplace Mail.

* * *

_Good morning._

_To begin the day, the SDF will be on the lookout for demon tamers. Many demon tamers will be found and subdued maybe. Possible retaliation from tamers will result in SDF deaths maybe._

_Secondly, a herd of demon tamers will be attacked near the lockdown's edge by a demon known as Lazebel. Possible victims include Taylor Belen and Howl Wolfe. _

_Near the end of the day, many people will be thrown into a panic. The reason is up._

_Have a pleasant funeral._

_

* * *

_

"What. The. Hell?" Taylor, Howl, and Chow said in unison. Yuki had no idea what they were reading as she sat in a chair quietly.

"Just yesterday this thing was nearly broken and now it's acting British!" Chow snapped and Howl rubbed her temples in confusion.

"We're going to die today?" she asked and Taylor glanced up to see the zero above their heads. She nodded slowly and they looked back to the Laplace Mail.

"People thrown into a panic… the reason is up?" Taylor wondered while Chow looked at something else in the mail.

"It's unsure," he stated and the two girls looked at him in curiosity. He pointed to the screen and glanced at them. "It says "maybe" and "possible". So that means it's unsure."

Taylor took another look at the mail and nodded again.

"It is strange," she whispered and then looked at the second part of the mail. "Lazebel… a demon of Bel."

Howl opened her mouth to say something until Taylor's COMP beeped again. Taylor twitched and looked at the new mail she received.

* * *

**Subject: Meet Me **

**Sender: KACHAN**

If you want to find the place we spoke of yesterday, meet me in the park now.

* * *

"Well, aren't we popular," Chow muttered and then looked to Yuki. He went silent before he looked back at Taylor and Howl. "You two go. I'll stay here and look after her."

Taylor and Howl stared at Chow in surprise at his odd behavior.

"Um… Sure?" Taylor said and she and Howl left the building after waving to Yuki. Chow watched them leave before he looked back to his COMP.

* * *

Taylor and Howl wandered down the street till they heard singing come from the park down the street ahead of them. The two ran down to the park before they saw Mima calmly sitting on a rock in the park. Mima didn't notice the two as she sang the soothing tune for no one in particular. She stopped when she heard Taylor and Howl approach.

"Good morning," Mima said wearily and Taylor smiled politely.

"What were you singing?" Howl wondered and Mima hopped off of the rock. She looked to Howl before smiling.

"It's common name is Devil's Concerto," Mima stated and Taylor perked up while Howl looked confused.

"But it's so calm," she said and Mima giggled.

"Yeah, I think it's misnamed," Mima said and then looked to Taylor. "Shall we be off now?"

Taylor nodded and the three left the park to the street. Mima swayed a little when they reached the sidewalk. Taylor and Howl noticed Mima's pale face before the Shomonkai maiden suddenly bent over and started to cough harshly. Taylor and Howl flinched in surprise as Mima held her hand to his mouth before some blood slid past her fingers. After the coughing subsided, Mima quickly hid the blood and smiled softly.

"Sorry, there's no power anywhere so I've caught a cold," she said and Taylor raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Howl helped Mima straighten up.

"Can you walk?" Howl asked and Mima flopped down on a strangely unharmed bench by the edge of the park.

"I need to rest for a little bit… The place is down this road, take a left when you can and then a right when you can. Keep going till you reach the parking lot," Mima stated and leaned back against the bench. Taylor watched Mima pant quietly with her face still pale. Taylor's eyes glanced over Mima's head to where the Death Clock should be. She narrowed her eyes at the number and then turned away to walk down the street with Howl right behind. Mima walked the two leave while she slowed her breathing.

* * *

"That surprised me," Howl said and Taylor nodded as the two took a left. They continued to walk till they took a right and looked down the street. Taylor and Howl noticed a mob walking down the street away from them.

"There's the herd of demon tamers… but does that mean the SDF event is over?" Taylor wondered and Howl shrugged. The two walked down the street while making sure the demon tamers didn't see them. Taylor and Howl stopped walking when the demon tamers stopped.

"This is the place!" one shouted and the demon tamers all rushed towards a parking lot that sat across the street. It didn't look special at all as the demon tamers approached. The demon tamers reached the entrance to the parking lot and rushed inside while Taylor and Howl crossed the street slowly to not be seen by the tamers.

"What are they doing here?" Howl wondered till the demon tamers inside answered her question with a loud cry.

"We know you're in here, demon! Come out and be enslaved!" Taylor and Howl glanced to each other before they slowly crawled underneath the openings in the wall.

"Are they serious?" Howl wondered quietly and Taylor risked a peek to see the tamers all standing around with several demons that they summoned around them.

"I'd say so," Taylor said quietly and Howl peeked to see too.

"But why?" she asked.

"This group has been on the rampage summoning demons to find stronger ones to use," Shadow stated quietly as he popped out of nowhere crouched behind the two. Taylor and Howl nearly cried out in surprise if Shadow hadn't clamp their mouths shut with his hands. He removed his hands after they relaxed.

"So they're here to find stronger demons?" Taylor wondered and Shadow nodded.

"Must likely to break out of the lockdown," he said and before either of the girls could say anything, the air was filled with a horrendous screech that pierced their ears painfully. Taylor, Howl, and Shadow clamped their hands over their ears in pain while the tamers inside the lot screamed. When the screech ended, Taylor and Howl shot into the lot with Shadow right behind. The three stopped in their tracks as they stared ahead of them to where a gigantic bird stood with blood dripping from its beak.

"That's Lazebel?" Howl asked and the bird perked up.

"Humans know Lazebel! Lazebel thinks they're from him! Humans must die!" Lazebel screeched and Shadow clenched his fists.

"Whatever it is, you have its attention," he said before he raised his fists to fight. Taylor gaped at him in surprise.

"You can't seriously be thinking of fighting that thing!"

"Why not?" Shadow asked with a smirk before he took a silver bracelet out of his jacket. Taylor and Howl stared at the bracelet before Shadow slid it on. Lazebel's eyes caught the sparkle from the bracelet and the bird screeched again.

"Lazebel see shiny on human! Lazebel wants shiny! Give Lazebel shiny!" the demon screeched. Shadow smirked and a strange silver mist started to escape the bracelet.

"Taylor, Howl. You don't mind if I exercise a little, right?" he asked as a suit of armor materialized from the mist beside Shadow. The suit of armor was missing a helmet, however, as it readied its lance and broad sword. Taylor and Howl stared in shock at the suit of armor.

"Is that a demon?" Taylor asked in amazement. Shadow only smirked and stared at the giant bird demon ahead of them. The suit of armor started to tremble from the ground underneath it cracked. Shadow glanced to the suit of armor before putting his orange goggles down around his neck.

"Let's show them what you are, Azariah!" Shadow said to the suit of armor that moved as if nodding its head, if it had one. Lazebel flapped its wings a little before rocketing off the ground towards the three. Shadow swung his fist that had the bracelet around his wrist out towards the bird demon's incoming beak.


	14. Fifth Day: The Shortest Day

**Chapter 14- Fifth Day: The Shortest Day**

**

* * *

**

Chow sat in the lounge with his COMP out on the coffee table in front of him. Kit was upstairs at the request of Chow as he opened his COMP. He pressed a button and Mishael appeared from the COMP in perfect health. Mishael looked down to Chow who stared at his COMP silently.

"Tell me what you know about these Bel demons," Chow said and Mishael nodded slowly.

"There was once a great being long ago. He was the ruler of this world until the being known as God appeared and shattered the great being into pieces. The pieces fell to Hell and transformed into the demons of Bel," Mishael explained. Chow put his head onto his fists as he continued to stare at the COMP screen.

"How many Bels are there?"

"I have no knowledge on the exact number of the beginning, but now only a few are left."

"What happened to most of them?"

"They were absorbed by the other demons of Bel in hope of becoming the great being they were before and defeating God," Mishael stated. Chow narrowed his eyes and looked up to the bird-man demon.

"Do you know of the remaining Bels?" he asked and Mishael paused before it slowly nodded its head.

"There is Belberith, one of the strongest of the Bels. But he resides in the area near Tokyo for his return to the human world. With him are Jezebel, Belzaboul, Belial, and Beldr."

"Those are the Bels in Tokyo?" Chow asked and Mishael crossed its arms over its chest.

"I believe so."

"What about here in New York?" Chow wondered. Mishael took a longer pause to think before it looked to Chow.

"There is Belrav, which you have defeated, and four others. I'm not exactly sure about one of them though…"

"Spit it out already!"

"Very well. Apart from Belrav, there is Lazebel the Bel of Dark Wind, Kibelra the Bel of Dark Lightning, Diagabel the Bel of Nothing, and then there's the one I'm not sure about," Mishael stated. Chow raised his eyebrow curiously.

"This one you're not sure on, do you know its name at least?" he asked and Mishael shook its head.

"All I know is that it's the Bel of All, and the opposite of Master, I mean, Diagabel," Mishael said, correcting itself. Chow nodded and leaned back on the couch.

"So these two Bels are weak against each other, huh?"

"From what I understand, they are exactly equal. It all depends on who strikes first. I have heard that Diagabel's power is to bend the dimensions so he can't be found by his opposite," Mishael stated. Chow nodded slowly and folded his arms behind his head.

"First hit in wins. Sounds like a short fight."

"But if one absorbs the other, the winner will become even stronger than Belberith over in Tokyo," Mishael added and Chow looked to the demon.

"That reminds me, what kind of demon are you?" he asked and Mishael smirked.

"I am one of three demons known as Guardian Demons, or Daemons. The other two are known as Azariah and Hananiah. I'm not sure where they are, but they are in New York somewhere," Mishael said. Chow took in all the info and went over it in his head.

"This… Bel of All… That's a pretty arrogant title. Know anything else about it?"

"I'm afraid not. I'm not even sure if it's in New York."

* * *

The parking lot was destroyed as Lazebel tumbled out into the street. The giant bird demon screeched loudly while its right wing was bent horribly so it couldn't fly away. With its left wing, Lazebel beat up a windstorm towards the remains of the parking lot. Taylor and Howl held onto Shadow as he gripped Azariah's free arm. Shadow put his goggles over his eyes to block the wind while Azariah gripped its lance tightly. Shadow narrowed his eyes through the wind and pointed ahead with his free hand.

"Azariah! Pierce Anger Point!" Shadow commanded. The headless suit of armor nodded its body and raised its lance before throwing it into the wind, Taylor watched with one eye as she saw the lance pierce through the wind and sink into Lazebel's left wing. The windstorm stopped abruptly as the Bel demon screeched loudly in pain. Taylor ran out past Shadow and headed towards the writhing bird demon. Lazebel opened its black eyes to see Taylor grip her fist tightly before driving it into the bird demon's head.

"Deathbound!" Taylor shouted and Lazebel screeched from the hit.

"Ah, Lazebel's power is draining! What is girl? Lazebel tired of this. Weird demon hurt Lazebel too. Lazebel go to sleep now," the bird demon said before dissolving Taylor's arm. Taylor stared her arm silently while Howl and Shadow walked over.

"Was that it?" Howl asked and Shadow shrugged.

"Seems too easy to me."

"You're absolutely correct." Taylor, Howl, and Shadow spun around to see a one-legged being with four arms standing behind them. The being's eyes were covered by a white blindfold that stuck out due to its red skin.

"What are you?" Shadow wondered cautiously. The being regarded Shadow and nodded its head.

"I am Hananiah. You have me to thank for weakening the Bel. Now I have an offer for you all," the demon Hananiah said and Taylor raised an eyebrow.

"An offer?"

"That's right. Come to the Subway tomorrow. I'll be waiting," Hananiah said before it warped away. The three stared at where Hananiah had been before Taylor looked to Shadow.

"Is the Subway open for us to go into?"

"Only some parts. I've noticed many people using them as shelters. Of course, the Subway is offline and we've barricaded the tunnels to make sure nobody tries to escape. So I don't understand why that demon would want to go there unless it was to kill people."

"He didn't attack us though. He even helped us," Howl stated and Shadow scratched his head slowly. He took his goggles off and shrugged.

"Look, I'll check out the Subway shelters and get back to you tomorrow. Till then, go back to your hideout and rest." Shadow nodded and looked to Azariah before the two warped away thanks to Azariah. Taylor sighed and looked to Howl. Taylor perked up as their Death Clock had become a 2. Howl noticed Taylor's stare and tilted her head slightly.

"What's wrong?"

"Our Death Clock says 2 now."

"Hmm… Well, if you do the math, then we'll die the same day everyone else will?" Howl wondered and Taylor rubbed the back of her neck.

"Whatever. Let's go tell Chow about all of this," Taylor said before she paused. Howl did too as the two noticed that the lighting around them had a red tint.

"What the…?" they said in unison before they looked towards the red tinted sky.

* * *

**Subject: Weird day.**

**Sender: WOOF-WOOF**

What a weird day. If you don't count the giant bird, nothing really happened. ¬_¬

It feels weird to use emoticons again. ^_^;;;

Well, I guess I should be happy nothing really happened. Let's hope tomorrow is just as easy. Though I hope it doesn't end so soon… After all, we die the day after, right? ;(

**Subject: Bels**

**Sender: CHAOS-360**

I chatted with Mishael today about the demons known as Bels. Turns out, Mishael doesn't actually know much besides their names. He did mention one Bel that interested me. Diagabel. Isn't that the name that giant red demon said? You said you fought Lazebel today, right? Mishael said Lazebel was the Bel of Dark Wind, whatever that means.

And then there's Hananiah. That guy Shadow has Azariah you said, right? Apparently those three are the same class of demon. If Mishael and Azariah are this powerful, I can't wait to see what this Hananiah is like.

**Subject: Demons**

**Sender: SDF-666**

Today was actually quite fun. I had no idea demons were so powerful. Though it's a good thing Azariah told me about Pierce before I went anywhere. Today might have been different if I didn't know about it. The ability to break through defenses is always useful.

Oh, that's right. I checked with my squad about the subways. Turns out, all of them are being used for shelters. That's why hardly anyone is above ground except for demon tamers. Makes our job easier too. There was something that caught my eye though. My squad mentioned that they had found some demon tamers hanging out in an abandoned subway not far from the center of the city. Perhaps Hananiah is there.

By the way, have you found the girl Yuki yet? My squad can't find her anywhere. I can already see my sister and Fushimi laughing at me. If I fail this little job, I'll never be able to show my face again.

**Subject: The Sky**

**Sender: KITKAT**

Have you seen the sky yet? Well, duh, you must have. Unless you're in a shelter like me. I only saw the sky cause I helped someone down the subway stairs. It was creepy. It makes me feel like the world will end soon. It won't… right?

**Subject: Dark Wind**

**Sender: KACHAN**

I sense that the Bel of Dark Wind, Lazebel has been defeated. Was it you?

Lazebel is a powerful demon in the sky, but on the ground it's quite weak. Perhaps you were lucky? No, you defeated it fairly with your own power. That power will be a great help towards a united world.

Beyond today there are but three Bels remaining in New York. How this will affect God's ordeal is unknown though. Perhaps nothing will happen if the remaining Bels are destroyed. But who knows?

**Subject: He's weird.**

**Sender: SNOWGIRL**

Chow-kun told me to go upstairs for some reason. He didn't tell me why, but I could hear him talking to someone. Was it that demon? I hope nothing bad happened.

I want to go home. I want Tsuki back. Why, God? Why her?

**Subject: (No Subject)**

**Sender: THORNZ**

Help me.

**Subject: Five Down**

**Sender: SHAZZAR**

You must be groaning every time you see my handle. Well, toughen up. You only have two days left. No more extensions after that. How do I know? I just do. But of course, you probably don't care.

What are your plans for tomorrow? Oh, no need to tell me if you actually were. I have no interest in that sort of thing. But you must be wondering what will happen to everyone in two days. I can't wait. It'll be so much fun. All those zeros above people on that day. Of course, you don't find it fun at all. You're nothing like the girl I know. You're boring and not very fun at all. Well, I hope for your sake that you change my opinion of you.

Brush up on your history. You never know what might show up.


	15. Sixth Day: Mastermind

**Chapter 15- Sixth Day: Mastermind**

**

* * *

**

The morning was dyed red as the buildings of the city were covered in the bloody light. People wandered around the streets in a daze over the reddening sky above. SDF officers were about to protect the people and find demon tamers. High above the streets, a solitary figure stood atop one of the flat-roofed building. The figure smiled as he held a cellphone to his ear.

"Yes, it's quite the sight. Everything's ready for tomorrow," he said before pausing to hear the person on the other end. He nodded and then pushed his sunglasses up his nose. "Yep, the Laplace Mail is ready to go too."

The figure was silent again as he listened to the female voice on the other end.

"Try to stay alive today, SHAZZAR," he said before snapping the cellphone shut and tossing it over the side of the roof. The cellphone shattered against the street and the figure was gone from the roof.

* * *

Chow was awake as he slowly trudged down the stairs. He rubbed his eyes sleepily before he headed into the lounge to see Yuki sitting up on the couch with her cellphone out with her staring at its screen.

"What's up?" Chow asked which made Yuki jolt with shock.

"N-Nothing! Just trying to get reception to contact my father," she said nervously and Chow nodded slowly.

"Any luck?" he asked and Yuki shook her head. He sighed and perked up as he heard Howl tumble down the stairs.

"Ow…" Howl murmured as she picked herself up off the floor. She grinned sheepishly when she noticed Chow and Yuki staring at her. Taylor followed shortly after with a sick look on her face.

"What's wrong, Taylor?" Howl wondered as she rubbed her own cheek. Taylor grimaced and shrugged her shoulders.

"I just feel sick." The beep of their COMPs interrupted and the three took them out to look at today's Laplace Mail.

* * *

_For today's service._

_1.) The SDF will be watching over people using the subways as refugee. A strange figure would be reported sighted at one of the stations. Victims unknown._

_2.) Wall Street will be destroyed at noon by a serpent dragon. Victim: Taylor Belen._

_3.) The sky will grow redder as the day goes on. The Laplace Mail will no longer function after today. Everyone within the city shall die tomorrow. _

_Have a nice funeral._

_

* * *

_

"Wow, cheery," Chow muttered as a stream of numbers flowed after the mail's contents. Howl and Chow closed their COMPs while Taylor continued to look at hers. Taylor slowly closed her COMP and slid it into her pocket.

"I'm going out by myself today. You two go find Shadow to find that Hananiah demon thing guy," Taylor said and headed towards the door. Chow and Howl stood with their mouths agape in surprise.

"What? We can't let you do that!" the two shouted in unison. Taylor didn't look back, but waved her hand.

"I'll just avoid Wall Street. See ya!" she said before opening the door and running off down the street. Chow and Howl rushed outside after her, but she was already gone.

"Where is she off to in a hurry?" the two wondered in unison.

"Where is who heading in a hurry?" Shadow asked behind the two, and the two jumped in fright.

"Don't do that!" Howl said with a hand over her heart. Shadow murmured an apology while Chow crossed his arms behind his head.

"Taylor went off somewhere, so it'll be just us going to the subway," Chow stated and Shadow looked worried but nodded all the same.

"Okay, follow me." The three set off while Yuki stayed behind in the safety of the building.

* * *

Taylor glanced up at the street signs and turned directly onto Wall Street as she had already planned to anyway. She raced down the street until she saw someone ahead of her. Taylor stopped and stared at the woman with long black hair ahead of her. The woman smiled calmly and held up a blood-stained COMP.

"Hello, Taylor Belen."

"That COMP…" Taylor said and the woman chuckled.

"It belonged to a friend now dead, yes? I was surprised to see that she had been trying to send a message to you," the woman stated and Taylor's fists unconsciously clenched.

"You killed her?" Taylor asked and the woman smiled icily. Her features started to change and she grew until she was a giant black serpent-like dragon with gleaming fangs.

"I killed her and the other two. I am the serpent that tempted Paradise. I am the demon of Bel known as Kibelra, but you may call me SHAZZAR," the serpent spoke and Taylor perked up.

"SHAZZAR? You say you're that jerk?"

"Don't believe me?" Kibelra asked and Taylor nodded. Kibelra laughed, which sounded awful, and she then raised herself into the air to show a few objects underneath her. Taylor looked and froze when she saw Rose's hairpin and Kevin's hat. "The little girl with you wanted the hairpin, right? Go on, take it. Take the hat too, it's cool."

Taylor gritted her teeth and glared up at the serpent.

"You're dead, jerk."

"Try me, girl."

* * *

Shadow led Chow and Howl into the abandoned subway, and it was abandoned for good reasons. The stairs were wrecked along with the walls and floors as the three navigated into the bowels of the subway. As they reached the waiting platform, they immediately noticed flames along the wall for light.

"Welcome," Hananiah said as the demon stood hovering in the air above the subway tracks. Chow readied himself for a fight while Howl got her COMP out slowly. Shadow flexed his fingers and looked at the demon.

"So what do you want from us?" Chow asked and Hananiah smiled.

"Answer my riddle," Hananiah stated as it held a finger in the air. The three stumbled slightly in sudden surprise, but quickly composed themselves as Hananiah crossed his legs. "What can never be taken but never be found, lost but regained, and stretched but shortened?"


	16. Sixth Day: Riddle

**Chapter 16- Sixth Day: Riddle**

**

* * *

**

Chow, Howl, and Shadow were deathly silent as they stared at Hananiah.

"… Can you repeat that?" Chow asked and Hananiah nodded.

"What can never be taken but never be found, lost but regained, and stretched but shortened?"

"And how long do we get to solve it?" Howl added. Hananiah held three of his hands up with five fingers each.

"15 hours," Hananiah stated and Shadow quickly did the math.

"Until midnight," he said and Chow nodded slowly.

"So it's 9am now. The Mail didn't say Wall Street would be destroyed till noon, so we have less than three hours if we want to help Taylor out," Chow said and Howl nodded eagerly before she looked to Hananiah.

"How many tries do we-"

"One." Chow, Howl, and Shadow froze at Hananiah's sudden response. The demon didn't look like it was joking at all. Chow sat down on the platform floor, and Shadow and Howl followed suite.

"Right then… Let's start thinking."

An hour passed without the three knowing as they mulled over all the thoughts they had. Chow had his head in his hands as he wasn't very strong with riddles. Howl sat silently as she thought to herself. Shadow had started to run his finger along the cracked floor tiles.

"Can we get a hint?" Chow asked to Hananiah. Hananiah smiled and held his fourteen fingers up.

"In exchange for half the remaining time."

"Deal," Chow, Howl, and Shadow said in unison without hesitation. Hananiah put one hand down as he held seven fingers up now. He smiled to the three calmly.

"You are all on it," the demon said and the three looked just as lost as they had mere seconds ago.

"… Another hint?" Howl wondered and Hananiah chuckled.

"For six hours."

"Forget it," all three said and returned to thinking. Shadow put a hand to his chin as he stared at the floor.

"We're all on it… It can't be the floor, that's stupid. So…" Shadow trailed off as he returned to his thoughts. Howl had fallen back onto her back to think better. Chow looked like his brain was going to pop if he thought about it any longer. The three started to fire off suggestions quietly to each other.

"A street?" Chow suggested.

"Maybe it's a trick riddle," Howl muttered.

"Or something stupid like the floor," Shadow added quietly.

"The beach?" Chow wondered.

"It's probably something you can't see," Howl said softly.

"He said we were on it though," Shadow stated quietly.

"A hot dog wrapper?" Chow suggested.

"Shut up, Chow," Shadow and Howl said in unison.

* * *

Two hours of firing back and forth passed, and Chow lost it.

"DAMMIT!" he shouted, the shout reverberated against the walls. Howl and Shadow looked at him as he panted heavily. "I can't think anymore!"

"Come on, Chow, calm down," Howl said softly, but Chow didn't.

"While we're here, Taylor is doing who-knows-what! Besides, this riddle is completely unfair and vague!" he snapped and Howl frowned.

"That's life," she said sadly and Hananiah perked up. The demon smiled widely and Howl noticed. Shadow noticed Howl noticing and looked to Hananiah. Chow looked too to see the demon smiling.

"Correct, little one," Hananiah said and Howl pointed to herself. Hananiah nodded and turned its head up to the ceiling.

"The path of life can never be taken away from someone, yet you can never find it either. People have lost their way upon the path of life and regained it all the same. The path of life can stretch for miles endlessly or end abruptly," Hananiah stated and Howl rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"You mean… that's the answer?" Shadow asked and Hananiah nodded and lowered his five remaining fingers.

"You have passed my challenge, little one," Hananiah said and then started to dissolve into blue sparkles. Chow and Shadow flinched as the blue sparkles rushed past them and into Howl's COMP. Howl stared at her COMP in surprise until a message appeared on the screen.

_Contract with _Guardian Hananiah_ completed._

_

* * *

_

"HURRY UP!" Chow shouted as he bolted from the abandoned subway station with Howl and Shadow right behind.

"We have to find Taylor, right?" Howl asked and Chow nodded.

"She wouldn't be stupid enough to go to Wall Street, so we'll stop by the recording building first!" he stated and Howl smiled before noticing something out of the corner of her eye. She turned directions and the two boys looked over to see her fish a skateboard out from an alleyway. She tested it out and grinned before she kicked off the ground and sped ahead of Chow and Shadow.

"I'll see ya there!" she called back to them. Chow swore under his breath while Shadow nodded to himself.

"She's pretty clever."

"And annoying."

* * *

Lightning ripped down the street, tearing up buildings and cars as it passed by. Taylor hit the ground and rolled with bruises all over her arms and legs. She panted heavily as she pushed herself up, only to be slammed by Kibelra's tail. Kibelra laughed, again not pretty, and slammed her tail down onto Taylor's back.

"Weak girl! How on earth did you survive this long? Or is it cause you're alone?" Kibelra wondered before grinning, awfully, down at the girl. Taylor was losing focus as her sight focused and unfocused constantly. She felt the side of her head against the ground become wet as Kibelra slammed her tail down on her again.

Taylor started to black out as she heard Kibelra's laughter echo in her head until she heard a soft yet cocky chuckle before she lost conscience. Kibelra raised her tail up and smash Taylor again. The Bel demon serpent brought her tail down, but it was stopped suddenly by a large reddish transparent dome around Taylor. Kibelra's eyes widened in shock as the dome started to ripple.

"Wh-What…? It can't be…!" Kibelra stammered in shock as Taylor rose from the ground with her eyes cloudy. The reddish dome became a sphere around Taylor before three reddish transparent gaping jaws emerged from the sphere. The three gaping jaws turned to Kibelra before three sets of eyes appeared on the three heads. Kibelra trembled in fear from the heads' glowing pure red eyes. "Y-You're…!"


	17. Sixth Day: Flame Reborn

**Chapter 17- Sixth Day: Flame Reborn**

**

* * *

**

The three heads rose till they were at eye-level with Kibelra. Kibelra stared in shock at the heads while a reddish transparent tail started to emerge from the back of the sphere surrounding Taylor's standing yet unconscious body. Large dragon-like wings sprouted from the back of the sphere as well. The three heads stared at Kibelra before they opened their jaws and let out a piercing cry that shattered windows all around.

Inside Taylor's mind was all black while Taylor floated there in the midst of the inky depth. Taylor weakly looked around before she heard the soft cocky chuckle again that sounded all too familiar. She slowly turned her head around and saw the source standing behind her with a cocky smirk across his face.

"Hello again, Taylor Belen. Would you like to beg for my help?" Belrav asked as he brushed some of his blond hair away from his forehead, his cocky smirk never wavering.

Back outside of Taylor's mind, Kibelra coiled up to try to weaken the cry from the three heads. The reddish transparent dragon around Taylor stared at Kibelra until Taylor's lips started to move.

"Bel Flame," she said in a voice not her own. The three heads opened their jaws and let loose a gigantic stream of pitch-black flames that engulfed Kibelra and rushed down Wall Street, consuming anything that touched the flames. People near the street screamed in panic as Kibelra rose into the air and rushed towards Taylor with its mouth open wide. A beam of black lightning coursed out of Kibelra's open mouth towards Taylor until another blast of black flames collided against the black lightning. The SDF barricade nearby was silent as all of the officers stared up to see the heads of the two dragons poking out above the rooftops.

"God help us all…" many whispered under their breaths. Kibelra stopped her lightning attack and flew into the air to escape the black flames. Taylor stared ahead of her with her cloudy unseeing eyes. Inside her mind, Belrav had his arms around Taylor's neck from behind.

"That's right. You absorbed my powers, so use them. Use all of them in fact. Who cares who gets in your way? You're all-powerful now. Better yet, use that other Bel inside of you too. Lazebel, it was," Belrav spoke in Taylor's ear with a sly smirk.

Outside, Kibelra fired wave after wave of black lightning down at the transparent dragon surrounding Taylor. The lightning collided with the black flames from the two heads on the ends. The middle head opened its mouth towards Kibelra while Taylor's lips started to move again.

"Bel Wind," she said in a voice not her own. A blast of hurricane force winds erupted from the middle head's mouth, hitting the black flames and created a giant tornado of black flames that ran straight the Kibelra's body from the mouth to the tail. Kibelra's body fell to the ground and the reddish transparent dragon lowered its heads to Kibelra's body. Kibelra watched the approaching heads in utter fear.

"H-How… you were… absorbed… too…" Kibelra said with the last of her strength before the three heads dug in and devoured her body. After they were done, Taylor swayed slightly and fell to the side out of the sphere. As soon as her head left the sphere, the reddish transparent dragon around her popped like a bubble. Before she hit the ground, Belrav chuckled one last time in her mind.

"Thanks for the meal."

* * *

"…lor…!" Taylor shifted her head slightly and was brutally slapped awake. She snapped up to a sitting position and instantly felt woozy. Howl sat next to her with her hands up after having had slapped Taylor awake. "You're up!"

Taylor swayed slightly as she tried to regain her bearings.

"Where…?" she wondered quietly and Howl frowned.

"The recording building. We found you on Wall Street. You said you weren't going there!" Howl snapped angrily and Taylor nodded slowly.

"Right… Wall Street… SHAZZAR…" Taylor muttered and Chow caught the last name from where he sat nearby.

"What about SHAZZAR?" he asked, ticked off at the mere mentioning of the name. Taylor weakly looked to Chow and put her head in her hands.

"She found me…"

"She?" Chow snapped even angrier now. Taylor nodded as she tried to recall her memories.

"She had Rose's COMP… SHAZZAR was a demon of Bel," Taylor stated and Chow gritted his teeth.

"I figured it would be something like that. The fu-"

"Chow!" Howl snapped and Chow shut up. Howl looked back to Taylor and smiled.

"Well, you were the only one we saw, so I guess you won!" Howl cheered happily and Taylor didn't respond as there was a gap in her memories.

"I… won…? I was being beaten though…" she whispered so Howl and Chow couldn't hear her. Chow was annoyed as he muttered something about wanting to do it himself.

"So now that all the Bels are gone, can we leave the lockdown?" Howl asked Shadow where he had been standing in the back. Shadow shrugged his shoulders honestly.

"I'll speak with my superiors, but there have been less demons here than earlier. Though I've received word that Tokyo is far worse by the day," he stated and Yuki nodded in agreement. Howl cheered happily and Taylor clenched her fists.

"No." Howl stopped cheering and she, Chow, Shadow, and Yuki looked to her.

"No?" Shadow asked and Taylor looked to him.

"We still haven't encountered Diagabel. We're not done yet," she said and Shadow hit himself in the forehead.

"Of course, I had forgotten," he muttered and rubbed his forehead. "Well, still. I'll speak with my superiors and get back here tomorrow with news."

"We should rest the rest of the day and tomorrow we'll be all set to hunt down Diagabel," Chow stated and Howl nodded with a determined look on her face.

"We'll take him down too!" she said and Chow grinned.

"Damn straight!" he said and the two bumped fists. Taylor smiled softly and lay back down to go back to sleep. Yuki watched silently before looking at her open cellphone. The small screen changed, but didn't beep or vibrate as it showed a caller. Yuki silently got up and excused herself to get some food for Howl and Chow.

* * *

**Subject: One More!**

**Sender: WOOF-WOOF**

I don't know how you did it, but SHAZZAR IS GONE! (^o^) I'm so happy! Party time!

Today was fun. Chow, Shadow, and I had to solve this funky riddle and I got it right! w00t!

Now I have a (creepy) demon called Hananiah with me! Shadow has Azariah, Chow has Mishael, and I now have Hananiah. Oh… You don't have a cool demon… QoQ

Well, those Bel demons seem to power you up when you defeat them, so you'll be fine!… Right?

**Subject: Finally**

**Sender: CHAOS-360**

SHAZZAR is gone, and only Diagabel sits in our way of getting out of this lockdown. I'm so pumped right now that I can't sleep at all!

Tomorrow we will find Diagabel, we'll smash his, or her, or its face in, and then we'll get out of this lockdown!

Let's do it, Taylor! Yeah!

**Subject: Deadline**

**Sender: SDF-666**

I got to send word to my superiors about the decline in demons. They'll come in the morning, so I'll be a little late in getting to you all.

If all goes well, they'll wait till we find Diagabel. If not, we have till 6PM to destroy him.

The chance of them actually waiting though is very slim. Though we could get an extra hour or two with the red tape.

Here's to tomorrow. Let's survive.

**Subject: Thank You**

**Sender: SNOWGIRL**

Everything ends tomorrow. Thank you for everything you've done. I just wish I could repay you. But past tomorrow there won't be a chance to.

**Subject: Seventh Day**

**Sender: KACHAN**

The seventh day approaches us. The world is heading for its end regardless of what happens here in New York. Whoever rules Babel rules the demons. In Tokyo, Belberith has gained even more power. He will soon take Babel for himself, but he is not able to summon Babel yet.

There is still hope though for humans. In Tokyo and here. In Tokyo there is one boy with the right to participate in the war. Here, you. The remaining participants are the Tokyo boy, you, Diagabel, Belberith, Jezebel, Belzaboul, and Belial. However, Belberith has power over Jezebel and Belzaboul.

The war is coming to its close. Will you be the one with the crown? In the end, humanity can only watch and wait for their answer.


	18. Last Day: Name and Master

**Chapter 18- Last Day: Name and Master**

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* * *

**

The sky beat down blood red colors as the morning sun was nigh but a shimmer in the vast redness. The dark red clouds had begun to swirl over the city, the remaining demons looking up towards the clouds and howling.

Inside the recording building, Taylor readied herself before she went down to the lounge to see Chow and Howl already up and ready. Chow adjusted his fingerless gloves while Howl stood on her skateboard. Taylor glanced around for Yuki, but saw nobody other than Chow and Howl. Seeing her look around, Chow frowned.

"She was gone before I got up. I have no idea where she went," he stated and Taylor stayed silent as she turned to the door.

"Let's go," she said, and Chow and Howl nodded in determined agreement. The three left the building to see a swarm of demons flying above them towards the sky. The demons stopped when they saw the three, and the Barong at the head of the pack grinned before lunging down at them. The other demons followed suite and flew down to Taylor, Chow, and Howl.

The three didn't even react before the swarm of demons was ripped apart by Mishael's claws. The utterly defeated demons disappeared into nothingness as Chow flexed his fingers.

"The hell was that about?" he wondered calmly and Taylor shrugged her shoulders silently. The three waited out front of the recording building they heard a car motor. They looked down the street and barely were able to jump away as a jeep ripped past them and slid to a screeching stop.

"Can you drive?" Chow snapped as Shadow grinned in the driver's seat.

"Nope!" he said proudly while the three piled into the back of the jeep.

"How was getting us time?" Taylor asked and Shadow smirked.

"Well, they're discussing it quite heatedly, so it should give us an extra hour at least," Shadow stated and then revved the jeep. "Let's begin the hunt."

* * *

The jeep took off down the street, Shadow barely able to maneuver between the destroyed cars and poles. Taylor, Chow, and Howl hung on for dear life as the jeep made several impossibly close turns through the rubble.

"Where are we going?" Howl wondered and Shadow took one hand off the wheel, and almost ran over a stray person who was hiding from the demons. He pointed up to the air when the street he was on was clear of people and rubble. The three in the back looked up to the red sky to see swarms of demons all heading in the same direction.

"We're following them," Shadow stated and the three in the back looked back down ahead of the jeep.

"To where?" Chow wondered until his question was answered as they turned down one street and saw the demons all head towards where the Chrysler Building stood in the center of the swirling clouds above.

The demons outside of the Chrysler Building all looked at the screeching stop of the jeep. Shadow hopped over the low door of the jeep as Taylor and Howl got out the usual way with Chow copying Shadow's method. The four demon tamers faced the multitude of demons and Shadow adjusted his goggles on his forehead to put them over his eyes.

"Shall we make our entrance?" he asked and the other three grinned in response.

"Mishael," Chow said and the bird demon Guardian appeared next to him with its claws at the ready.

"We shall shred them in the holy wind," Mishael responded.

"Hananiah," Howl called out and Hananiah appeared hovering above her with its legs crossed.

"Their fates are sealed in my magic," Hananiah stated calmly.

"Azariah," Shadow said coolly and the headless suit of armor appeared and made several motions as if to say something like the other two demons had. Taylor flexed her fingers slowly, kind of sore that she didn't have anything cool to call out.

"Shall we knock?" she asked and Chow grinned widely.

"My pleasure."

* * *

In the inside of the Chrysler Building's front lobby, the entrance was blown apart in an explosion with several demons falling through onto the floor and dissolving in unison. In the wake of the destruction, Chow stood with his knees bent, one hand on his knee and his other rolled into a fist against the building floor.

"Anyone home?" he asked with a grin as Taylor and Shadow stepped inside. Outside the building, Howl clapped her hands together to get the dust off of them while the surrounding demons were all frozen solid in ice. The ice cracked and shattered into millions of pieces as Howl followed inside the building. Shadow looked at the directory until he located the stairs. He glanced to his watch and then turned to Taylor, Howl, and Chow.

"It's noon now. We have at least six hours to end this if Diagabel is here," he stated and Taylor smiled softly.

"Well, why else would the demons be coming here?" she wondered and the four headed to the stairs. Howl leaned forward to stare up the stairwell.

"… We're walking?"

"The elevators aren't working, remember?" Shadow reminded her and Howl sighed. They began to climb the stairs, all of them wishing that the power came back on. Howl stopped and panted before holding her arms out.

"Someone carry me?" she asked and Chow groaned.

"We've only gone up five floors!"

"How many more?" Howl asked and nobody wanted to answer. Howl sucked it up and the four continued to walk up the stairs.

"I hope Yuki is okay," Howl said to get her mind off of walking. Shadow perked up and glanced back at her.

"You knew where she was?"

"Yeah, she's been staying with us for a few days," Taylor said absentmindedly.

"Where is she now?" Shadow asked and Taylor shrugged slowly.

"She was gone by the time Chow woke up," she stated and Shadow grimaced. The four fell silent again and kept on climbing.

* * *

"I will never use the stairs again," Howl stated and collapsed on the landing of the top floor. The four took a moment to catch their breaths before Shadow took out a card key and opened the door. The door slid open to a large empty circular room with a roof that slanted upwards in a spire.

"Welcome to the inside of the top of the Chrysler Building spire," Shadow said and the three kids looked around.

"Pretty… dull," Howl said and Taylor felt slightly woozy suddenly.

"Something's here…" she muttered and Chow perked up as the air started to grow colder. Shadow and Howl felt it to as they braced themselves.

"Miserable humans. You dare defile my eyes with your presence," a voice spoke from above them, but when they looked up, they saw nothing but the innards of the spire.

"Diagabel?" Chow snapped and the voice responded.

"A human dares to call out my name? You miserable creatures are but ants to a lion such as I. I shall reduce you to ash for entering my territory," the voice said and the four readied themselves as a black hole appeared on the wall ahead of them. The four heard footsteps before out of the black hole stepped out a figure that looked like a second grader with pure white hair, deathly pale skin, icy blue eyes, and completely white shirt and pants.

"… It's a kid," Taylor, Chow, Howl, and Shadow said in unison. The white boy seemed annoyed by the comment and raised his hand into the air. The air suddenly grew colder and heavier, forcing the four towards the floor.

"What the?" Chow snapped at the weight of the air.

"I am Diagabel, Bel of Nothingness. You humans are but trash to a higher being such as I," Diagabel stated with a superior air.

"Are all Bels stuck up jerks?" Howl asked angrily and the air grew heavier as Diagabel got even angrier.

"Silence, trash. My era approaches and I will not be stopped by you trash. Human girl with the power of Bel inside of her. Submit your power to me," Diagabel stated and Taylor glared at him bitterly.

"Go to Hell, jerk!" she snapped in response.

"Excellent idea." Diagabel's eyes grew wide, and the air returned to normal suddenly. The four stumbled at the sudden lift of pressure and looked at Diagabel to see an arm running through his body from behind. Diagabel trembled in rage as his white clothes became red with the demon's blood.

"Damn you… They were decoys… weren't they?" Diagabel asked and the owner of the arm smiled with a chuckle.

"Why should you care? After all, you cheated with your whole disappearing-into-a-different-dimension trick. Now I've struck first, and I've won. Bye-bye," the owner of the arm said, and Chow perked up as he COMP booted up and Mishael forcefully summoned himself next to Chow. Mishael glared past Diagabel.

"That voice…" the bird demon seethed lividly. Diagabel froze in shock as his body started to dissolve into the arm through him.

"Ha… My era…" Diagabel whispered and disappeared into the arm.

"Was short-lived," the owner of the arm said for Diagabel as he brought his clean arm up and pushed his sunglasses over his eyes. Taylor, Chow, and Howl froze in shock at the black-haired boy in what seemed to be a dark purple bartender uniform standing in front of them where Diagabel had been.

"You're the one that gave us the COMPs!" the three kids shouted in unison. The black-haired boy laughed happily and rolled back on his heels.

"Gosh, I hadn't the faintest idea you all would survive this long! Though you would have died sooner had I not "helped" in the battle against Belrav!" he stated happily and Shadow narrowed his eyes after removing his goggles to see better.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked and the boy ignored Shadow and sighed happily.

"What a week, huh? Attacked by demons, thrown into a lockdown, fighting in a war… It's all wonderful! The perfect cure to my boredom!" the boy shouted happily with a laugh. Chow got really pissed off at the boy.

"Your boredom? This isn't some game! People have died!" Chow shouted and Howl nodded in agreement. The boy looked hurt as he pouted slightly.

"What do you mean? This is all a game. New York City became the stage for my game. Well, I really couldn't put it anywhere else," the boy stated and raised a hand in front of him. The four braced themselves as the boy started to move his fingers of his raised hand. Once he stopped, Taylor's COMP beeped, surprising the girl and the other three. Taylor opened her COMP to see a message.

_Congratulations for reaching the End Game._

Taylor stared at the message in shock before she looked up at the boy. The message wasn't the shocker, but the name of the sender: SHAZZAR.

"You're SHAZZAR? But… But that woman yesterday said-"

"Exactly what I told her to say. You four are such a funny lot," SHAZZAR said happily with a wide smile on his face. He raised his arms out to the side and laughed. "You were exactly what I needed for this game! This game had everything but the excitement! What point is a game without it?"

"You bas-" Chow started to shout, but SHAZZAR cut in.

"Though admittedly, not everything was fun. There were some boring parts that had to go. That guy with the hat, the little girl, and that cowardly singer girl. Oh, they were just SO PLAIN! I needed exciting people! Our boredom cannot be cured with plain people!" SHAZZAR shouted cheerfully and Taylor perked up.

"Our?" she asked and SHAZZAR smiled to her.

"What? You thought I would start a game here of all places? Sheesh, I was heading to Tokyo until I got summoned here instead. But that might have been fate. I got to meet quite the cutie to be my master," SHAZZAR stated. Chow clenched his fists tightly as he glared lividly at SHAZZAR.

"Master? So you're just a dog!" he snapped and SHAZZAR frowned.

"Was that meant to hurt me? Oh dear," SHAZZAR said with a wave of his hand. SHAZZAR sighed and slid his hands into his pant pockets. "You humans are pitiful in the end. Exciting or not."

Suddenly, SHAZZAR vanished. Taylor, Chow, Howl, and Shadow looked around frantically until Taylor heard a shoe land on the floor behind them. SHAZZAR stood behind them slightly slouched with his back to them. "Holy Dance."

In a second, all four felt pain rush through their bodies as random spots on their body felt like a steel pillar had smashed into the spots. The four were brought to their knees as SHAZZAR took a hand out to push his sunglasses back over his eyes.

"You're role in my game is over, humans. But as a reward for your help in luring Diagabel out, I'll tell you who I am," SHAZZAR said and appeared behind ahead of the four with a smile to them. Taylor flinched at SHAZZAR's sudden appearance as the boy chuckled. "My name is Belshazzar, the Bel of All."

Taylor, Chow, Howl, and Shadow stared at Belshazzar in alarm as the Bel demon smiled at them calmly. Behind the four, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. Belshazzar smiled happily while the four turned their heads to see who was heading their way. The footsteps stopped as someone stood in the doorway. Belshazzar smiled still as he looked to the visitor.

"And here's my cute master. Come to watch?" he asked while Taylor stood with her eyes transfixed on the person in the doorway.

"No way…" she whispered.

* * *

**Who is it? ;D**


	19. Last Day: The Real Mastermind

**Chapter 19- Last Day: The Real Mastermind**

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* * *

**

The inside of the spire was quiet as Taylor, Chow, Howl, and Shadow all stared in surprise at the person who stepped into the room. Belshazzar had a faint smirk on his face while the person looked at the group. Taylor had her mouth open in shock as the person crossed her arms over her chest.

"What's that face for, Taylor?" Mima asked with a tilt of her head. Taylor could not answer while Howl looked around in haste.

"Mima! It's not safe here! What are you doing up here?" Howl asked as she ran over to Mima. Mima's lips smiled slightly and Chow shouted after Howl.

"Howl! Stop!" he shouted, but not in time as Howl was bludgeoned into the wall by the side of Belshazzar's hand. The Bel demon chuckled airily while Mima ignored Howl and continued to stare at Taylor. Mima uncrossed her arms as Chow raised his fists to fight. Shadow rushed over to aid Howl while Chow and Taylor faced Mima.

"Why?" Taylor asked while trying to steady herself. Mima waved the question away with a flick of her wrist.

"Why not? It added flare to the boring life," Mima said as she smiled to Belshazzar. Belshazzar pushed his shades up and grinned widely. Taylor's fists trembled in rage as she glared at the two in front of her.

"Stop acting like this is a game!" she shouted and Mima sighed bitterly. Mima looked to Belshazzar in annoyance.

"She didn't understand? You did speak English, right?"

"It appears they can't see past their moral senses," Belshazzar replied calmly. Mima nodded her head slowly and Belshazzar put a hand on her back as Mima swayed slightly. "The stairs were rough, huh?"

"The sooner we get this over with the better," Mima stated and steadied herself. Chow clenched his fists and rushed straight at Belshazzar. Taylor flinched at Chow's sudden attack.

"Power Hit!" Chow snapped and Belshazzar raised his hand at the boy.

"Shield All," he stated and Chow's fist collided with an invisible wall between him and Belshazzar. Chow's eyes widened in shock before a transparent sphere with a white glowing center formed on Belshazzar's palm. The demon of Bel pointed the sphere towards Chow and smirked. "Megido."

* * *

The top of the Chrysler Building exploded with a blast, sending rubble plummeting to the ground below. Taylor held onto the floor in hope of not being forced out of the building. Shadow kept his grip on the wall as Howl gripped onto him. Chow was the unlucky one as he had to grip the edge of the building for dear life. Mishael helped Chow back onto the floor that was now technically the roof of the building. The wind ripped past all of them, which caused Mima to shiver slightly.

"End this fast, Belshazzar. I'm getting cold," she said and the demon nodded curtly before another Megido sphere formed on both of his palms. Chow gritted his teeth at the sight of the two spheres. Taylor kicked off the floor and rushed towards Belshazzar.

"Don't think I'm gonna let you do that again!" she shouted and Belshazzar sighed happily.

"Do you think you have a say?" he asked before holding one sphere towards Taylor. Taylor pulled her fist back, but a sudden pain through her arm caused her to hesitate. "Megido."

The top of the building was engulfed by a giant Megido sphere that obliterated the floor and what remained of the walls. The Chrysler Building shuddered and creaked as its sides cracked all the way to the bottom of the building. As the Megido sphere started to shrink the building split in half, causing Taylor, Chow, Howl, and Shadow to start falling towards the bottom floor.

* * *

**Two Weeks Ago**

**

* * *

**

The sunset's light flowed into the room as a bed was positioned right next to the window so the occupant of the bed could rest her head against the side of the window. The room was empty except for the bed and the bedside table that was covered in old books and a single pair of shades next to the lamp. Not even a television lay in the room as the girl in the bed sighed sadly for what she thought was the millionth time that week.

"I told you! Give me a chance!" the girl heard from the room next to hers where her father angrily argued with the phone. "I'm telling you, she can summon demons! I know she has a weak heart, I'm her father! I don't care if the Founder's daughter can too! But… No! … You'll regret this!"

The girl heard her father smashed the phone down and storm out of his room. As she heard his footsteps stomp past her room she heard him shout at her door.

"You're useless, Mima!" Mima bit her bottom lip slightly and looked out of the window sadly. She watched some kids run home after their school day had ended. She stared off into the distance of the city's skyline. She closed her eyes to listen to the faint pulse of her heart. It was slow and soft, but still there. Mima kept her eyes closed while she felt the sunset's warmth on her face. This was how she spent all of her days since born with a weak heart. Sleep, eat, read, and watch the people outside have fun.

Mima shivered slightly as she felt a chill flow through the window. She didn't bother opening her eyes thinking that it would warm back up. Though it didn't. The air in her room chilled and Mima slowly opened her eyes to see a figure standing in the center of her room with his back to the window and her.

"What's this? I came cause someone wouldn't stop calling me. Here I thought I was gonna kill some lazy oaf, but here I find a cute human girl," the figure said with a flowing black coat. The figure turned his head slightly and Mima felt her body freeze at the figure's blood red eyes. Mima suddenly twitched and she leaned against the window's edge while gripping at her heart. Her heart was pounding faster now as she tried to catch her breath. Mima felt her conscious fade slightly until she felt a finger poke her collarbone. The pain vanished and her heart suddenly returned to its soft thump.

"Sheesh, you're fragile. One look at me and you start dying? I'm hurt," the figure said and Mima shakingly looked up at the figure's face that had black markings and the blood red eyes. She stared in the eyes before the figure's finger left her collar. "Do I scare you?"

"Y-You're a demon…?" Mima asked, ignoring the question. The figure nodded and glanced to the window.

"Ah, now I'm going to run late cause of you. I'm supposed to be in Tokyo soon. So see ya," the demon said calmly and stepped towards the window.

"W-Wait!" The demon waited and looked to Mima. She trembled slightly and leaned back against the backboard. "Could you… stay for a while?"

"Seriously? I nearly kill you by just showing up and you want me to stay?" the demon asked and Mima didn't reply as her hands trembled on her lap. The demon sighed and held his hand up beside Mima's bed. Mima glanced over to see a chair grow out of the floor and the demon flopped down onto it and kicked his legs up onto the bed next to Mima's. "I might as well."

Mima smiled softly and looked to the demon.

"My name's Mima Kariyara. Yours?"

"… Belshazzar," the demon stated and Mima perked up.

"Like the prince of Babylon?" she wondered and Belshazzar flinched in surprise but then grinned.

"You know your history!" he said and then noticed the books. "Oh, that explains it."

Mima giggled and Belshazzar rubbed the back of his neck. Mima tilted her head slightly as she remembered something.

"What did you mean by "wouldn't stop calling you"? I wasn't calling you," Mima asked and Belshazzar held a finger at Mima.

"You may not have known you were, but you were. And sheesh, you wouldn't stop. Are you that bored?" Belshazzar asked and Mima raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What does being bored have to do with anything?"

"Cause I'm bored too! That's why I figured heading to Tokyo would be fun. But now it's starting to look boring. Are you fun?" Belshazzar asked and Mima shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"I wouldn't know. The only people that talk to me are random strangers who see me in the window. Even then there's not many who talk for long," Mima stated and Belshazzar grimaced slightly.

"Man, it must suck being in that bed since birth."

"Oh, this is my third bed. The other two broke," Mima said with a wave of her hand and a smile. Belshazzar chuckled and put a hand to his forehead. Mima watched as the black markings vanished from the demon's face and the black coat dissolved into a dark purple bartender uniform. Mima put a hand to her mouth and giggled softly. "What are you wearing?"

"Eh? What's wrong with this?"

"It's a uniform for work. I didn't know demons work in humans places," Mima stated and Belshazzar scratched his head slightly.

"Well… That would explain a few things. Oh well, it's comfy. Besides, I'd rather not waste energy with fancy clothes," Belshazzar muttered and Mima smiled. She glanced to her bedside table and got an idea. She reached over and Belshazzar perked up as she handed him the shades.

"Here, try them on," she said and Belshazzar cautiously took the shades and looked at them. He slowly put them over his eyes and grinned widely.

"Whoa! Everything's darker! Awesome! You humans make such cool stuff!" he said happily and Mima giggled.

"You can have them. I only need them for when the sun shines directly at me," Mima said and Belshazzar hummed a bit before pursing his lips.

"Why would you give stuff away for free?" he asked and Mima's smile turned sad.

"I've never had a chat like this before," she said quietly and Belshazzar brought one of his feet onto his knee.

"Hmm, okay then. Well, since I'm a demon, I'll take them. But not for free. After all, I have my own morals. Now you've interested me," Belshazzar stated and rose to his feet. Mima looked over in confusion as Belshazzar poked her collarbone again. "You're fragile, yet you're not despairing like the other humans I've seen in your condition. So I wonder this: If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?"

Mima looked in surprise as she stared at Belshazzar. Belshazzar smiled and kept his finger on Mima's collarbone.

"What would it be? Power? Wealth?" Belshazzar asked and Mima looked down at her hands. She looked out of the window and then opened her mouth.

"I want… I want to leave this bed. To go outside and have fun," she stated and Belshazzar smirked slyly. He removed his finger from Mima's collarbone and sat back down. Mima looked over at the demon as he leaned back in the chair.

"Well, I can do that, but your heart still wouldn't be able to handle it," he stated, "after all, I can't change the way you were born."

"But that doesn't help at all!"

"Which is why I have a better idea. An idea that would fire up these boring lives of ours! The War of Bel," Belshazzar stated and Mima looked at him in utter confusion. Belshazzar smirked as he held his hands. "I was heading to Tokyo to take part in the battle going on there soon. But since I'm here, I might as well bring part of the war to this city!"

"But how does that help me get outside?" Mima asked. Belshazzar chuckled and put his hands down onto his lap.

"The winner of the War of Bel becomes the ruler of the demon world. In other words, all-powerful with no humanly limits! Of course it's impossible for unqualified humans to participate," Belshazzar stated and before Mima could say anything he placed his hand against Mima's collarbone. "Which is why I'll give you my right to the war."

Mima felt strange and looked at Belshazzar's hand.

"But don't you want it?"

"Hell, I don't care. As long as I get my enjoyment, I'm happy. And the thought of a human becoming the ruler is just pure excitement! Besides, don't you want out?" Belshazzar asked and Mima paused for a moment before she nodded her head. Belshazzar smirked and removed his hand to reveal a black symbol now on Mima's collarbone. "Then I submit my power of Bel unto you, human Mima Kariyara. With my power, your condition will be stalled but not forever."

"I understand," Mima said curtly and Belshazzar chuckled. Mima moved her leg slightly and looked to Belshazzar. "How do we bring the war here?"

Mima's father was furious as he stormed around the living room, cursing at the ceiling. He was about to throw a small table at the television until he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He whirled around to see Mima descend the staircase slowly. His mouth fell open as Mima reached the floor and sighed in relief.

"T-This… is a miracle!" Mima's father shouted and grinned widely. "I'll call them now and tell them to prepare for our arrival!" Mima's father said happily. Mima's lips twitched into a soft smile.

"Actually, I'll be starting a party here instead," she said curtly, causing her father to stop in his tracks. He didn't look back for an obvious reason; a hand belonging to Belshazzar against his face. Mima turned to the kitchen without a look to her father. "So be good and quiet."

With that, Belshazzar tightened his hold on her father's head and it ruptured like a balloon. Belshazzar chuckled at the blood while Mima wandered into the kitchen. Belshazzar stepped into the room and smirked.

"No regrets?" he asked and Mima took a pack of strawberries out of the fridge.

"None," she said curtly while offering a strawberry to Belshazzar. "Let's start bringing the war here."

Up on the roof of Mima's house, Belshazzar stood with a smile to the sky. He raised his hands out in front of him as if about to play an invisible piano. His fingers moved up and down as soft music floated down from the sky, unheard by human ears. Mima sat next to Belshazzar as she zipped up her Shomonkai uniform to hide Belshazzar's symbol on her collarbone.

"Devil's Concerto," Belshazzar said before pounding his fingers down and the screech ripped through the sky, creating a red vortex to start growing behind the clouds. Belshazzar smiled up to the clouds that covered the red vortex to the demon world. "Oh, demons of blood and death, let's begin a game that will engulf this city in chaos!"

* * *

**Present**

**

* * *

**

Mima balanced herself on the crumbling top of the building. She unzipped her uniform slightly so Belshazzar's symbol could be seen. Mima vanished from the crumbling floor and was brought down to the ground by Belshazzar before the demon vanished again. Mima watched as the Chrysler Building began its slow crumble to the ground.

Howl cried out as the four of them plummeted down. Mishael grabbed Chow by the wrist and Chow grabbed Howl. Azariah appeared from Shadow as the man prepared to crash land onto the floor. Chow looked up to see Taylor falling above them.

"Taylor! Grab on!" Chow shouted and Taylor turned her head to look down just before her eyes grew wide. Chow and Howl froze in shock as they saw Belshazzar's arm run through Taylor's chest. Taylor's blood dripped from Belshazzar's fingers onto Mishael's wings.

"I can't have the guinea pig get away now," Belshazzar said calmly with a smile to Taylor. Taylor gritted her teeth and felt pain sweep through her body. Belshazzar chuckled and his grin widened. "Your role was to shepherd the Bels in the city into your body for us to collect. Now it's time to fulfill that role and…"

"Mishael! Fly back up!" Chow snapped but the bird demon continued on down.

"I cannot! You're too heavy!" Mishael replied bitterly and Chow clenched his teeth lividly.

"Taylor!" he shouted back up just as Belshazzar let go of Taylor's head. Belshazzar pushed his shade up and chuckled.

"Submit," he stated and Taylor's body began to dissolve on her descent towards the bottom floor.


End file.
